The Bradford Index score is used across the business to calculate the impact that absence has on the operation.

 

The trigger points that are used across the business are:

  • 3 months:        16 points
  • 6 months:        64 points
  • 12 months:      125 points


Below is an example of an employee’s shift pattern for the months of November 2020 – January 2021:

 



The employee was absent for the following shifts due to sickness:

  • 4th December 2020
  • 9th December 2020
  • 10th December 2020
  • 12th December 2020
  • 17th December 2020
  • 26th January 2021

 

These can be grouped into the following occasions of absence:

 

  • 4th December 2020 – 3 days
    4th – 10th December 2020 counts as one occasion of absence, despite the employee having rest days. The rest days should not be included as the employee was not scheduled to work on these days and therefore it does not impact the operation.

  • 12th December 2020 – 2 days
    12th – 17th December 2020 counts as a separate occasion of absence due to the employee returning to work for a full shift on 11th December 2020. An occasion of absence should be a number of consecutive days that the employee has been absent from work.

 

  • 26th January 2021 – 1 day
    This is a separate occasion of absence

 

Number of days - This refers to the total number of days the employee was absent from their scheduled shifts during a 3 month, 6 month or 12 month period, this does not include rest days or approved absences.

 

Number of occasions – This refers to the periods of absence. In the example above the absences can be split into 3 period of absence, the first beginning on 4th December, the second beginning on 12th December and the 3rd beginning on 26th January.

 

The Bradford Index calculation is: Total Absent Days x Occasions of Absence x Occasions of Absence. For the example above, the calculation would be:

 

6 Days absence (3 + 2 + 1) x 3 Occasions of Absence x 3 Occasions of Absence = a BI score of 54

 

Examples of absences that should not be included in Bradford Index score:

  • Approved Annual leave
  • AWOL – should be dealt with at the time under the AWOL process / Disciplinary process
  • Dependant leave
  • Maternity/Paternity
  • Approved Compassionate leave