Repeated “bank holiday sickies” could trigger disciplinary action, workspace expert warns

As the late May bank holiday begins, many businesses will be preparing for a familiar trend: a spike in last-minute sickness absences around the long weekend. While genuine illness is completely valid, workspace experts warn that repeated “bank holiday sickies” can quickly raise concerns for employers when absences consistently fall around long weekends.

Below, Jules Robertson, Workspace Expert and Co-Founder of Tally Workspace, the office space experts,  explains when repeated sickness absences around bank holidays can become a workplace conduct issue, and what employers are legally allowed to investigate.

When “bank holiday sickies” can become a workplace issue

Under UK employment law and Acas guidance, employers may investigate sickness absences where there are reasonable concerns around potential abuse of sick leave policies, particularly if repeated patterns emerge over time.* 

→ Potential employer action:

• Formal absence review
• Attendance monitoring
• Disciplinary investigation
• Written warnings or, in more serious or repeated cases involving misconduct, dismissal following a fair disciplinary process.

Any action should follow the employer’s sickness absence and disciplinary procedures and be handled consistently.

Jules Robertson on suspicious absence patterns: 

“Most employers are not looking at a single absence in isolation,” says Robertson. “Concerns usually arise when clear patterns begin to emerge over time.”

She says employers may pay closer attention to patterns such as:

• Repeated Friday or Monday absences
• Frequent sickness around long weekends or bank holidays
• Last-minute absences following declined annual leave requests
• Repeated short-term absences over time
• Contradictory social media activity during sick leave

“Employees are fully entitled to take sick leave when genuinely unwell, but employers are also entitled to investigate repeated or suspicious absence patterns where there are reasonable concerns around misconduct,” says Jules.

“If absences consistently fall around long weekends or declined holiday requests, businesses may begin formal absence reviews or disciplinary procedures, particularly where there appears to be an ongoing pattern over time.”

Gross misconduct and dismissal risks

“Whether misuse of sick leave is treated as misconduct or gross misconduct will usually depend on factors such as company policy, available evidence, seriousness of the situation, and whether employers believe there has been a breach of trust,” says Jules. 

Under UK disciplinary guidance, employers may take disciplinary action where they believe misconduct or deliberate dishonesty has occurred, although businesses are still expected to follow a fair investigation and disciplinary process before taking action.*

→ Potential outcome: Disciplinary action, which in some cases could include dismissal following a fair disciplinary process

→ Employer requirement: Fair investigation and consistent procedure

“Calling in sick around a bank holiday is not automatically a problem, but repeated patterns can absolutely raise red flags for employers,” Jules explains. “Employers who fail to follow proper procedures can create legal and HR risks for themselves as well.”

Employers also face legal risks if handled unfairly

Robertson warns that employers who mishandle sickness absences could potentially expose themselves to legal risk, particularly if they fail to follow proper procedures or ignore underlying health conditions.

Under the Equality Act 2010, employers must take care where absences may relate to a disability or long-term health condition, as employees may be entitled to reasonable adjustments and protection from disability discrimination.**

“Employers need to strike a balance between protecting the business and treating employees fairly,” Jules explains. “Overreacting without evidence or failing to follow proper disciplinary procedures can create significant HR and legal issues for businesses themselves.”

What employees should know before calling in sick

Robertson warns that many employees underestimate how visible repeated absence patterns can become over time, particularly in smaller teams.

“Employees sometimes assume a single absence will go unnoticed, but repeated patterns are often very easy for managers and HR teams to identify,” she explains.

“If someone is genuinely unwell, the best thing they can do is follow company reporting procedures properly, communicate clearly, and provide any reasonable evidence requested in line with company policy. Concerns usually arise when absence patterns become difficult to ignore or when policies are not followed consistently,” she advises. 

Advice for employers handling suspicious absences

Robertson says businesses should focus on fair process and consistency rather than assumptions.

“Bank holiday absences can be frustrating for employers, particularly for smaller businesses managing limited staffing resources, but employers still need to approach these situations professionally and fairly,” she says.

“That means having clear sickness absence policies, documenting concerns properly, and applying procedures consistently across teams rather than reacting emotionally or jumping to conclusions without evidence.”

She adds that recurring absence issues can sometimes point to wider workplace problems.

“In some businesses, recurring absence patterns may also reflect issues around burnout, disengagement, or workplace morale. Employers should not ignore potential misconduct, but they should also consider whether wider cultural or operational factors are contributing to higher absence levels.”

“The most effective businesses tend to balance accountability with trust. Employees should feel supported when genuinely unwell, while also understanding that deliberate misuse of sick leave policies can carry serious professional consequences.”