Workload Wednesday

Sick leave and lesson planning

One of the questions we are commonly asked is “Should I be expected to plan lessons if I am on sick leave?”. Well, it depends.

While there is no firm DoE policy on this matter, the Union believes each case of teacher absence needs to be considered on its merits.

You should submit planning whenever possible, but you should also be aware that there are exceptions to the rule, e.g. when you become ill unexpectedly or have to care for a family member who is taken ill without warning.

If the absence is planned, it would be reasonable to expect you to submit planning. The length of (planned) absence should determine the detail of planning that you provide.

Uploaded 16 May 2018