Can an Employee on Long Term Sick Leave Still be Considered for Redundancy? What Precautions Should Employer Take?

Yes, they can still be considered, subject to a number of qualifications. In addition to establishing a legitimate reason for redundancy and adhering to the usual requirements of a fair redundancy procedure, you should ensure that, at every stage of the process, reasonable adjustments are made to take into account the employee’s illness and absence. Failure to do so might risk a finding not only of unfair dismissal, but also of disability discrimination. 

There are certain general steps which you should consider adopting in such circumstances: 

• Regular and transparent communication - the employee should be kept informed at all stages of the process. Where possible, this should be