'Bad decision' | Asda considers tougher sick leave rules as part of ongoing turnaround

Asda is weighing up major changes to its sickness absence policy that would make it easier for managers to take disciplinary action against staff taking repeated short-term sick leave.

The supermarket, which has been trying to revive its performance after years of cost-cutting, is consulting on extending the period in which staff absence records are monitored, reports The Telegraph.

Under the current system, any worker with an absence rate of 3% or above is reviewed, with two informal stages in place before a formal disciplinary process begins. 

Absence records are wiped after six months, but the proposal under discussion would reportedly see that reset period doubled to 12 months, increasing the likelihood that staff could face escalating sanctions, including dismissal, if they take consecutive periods of sick leave.