HR Case Manager is an element within the Empactis system to assist managers with the monitoring, recording and the management of absence. It went live across Mersey Care on 2 July 2024.
It is an integrated system with Absence Manager. It provides management and divisions with a complete integrated overview of all absence cases for their designated area or team. Case Manager aims to help managers to proactively support, monitor and manage all aspects of colleagues' physical, social and mental health and wellbeing.
Following the Case Manager launch, slides 5 to 9 of the eLearning package has now been updated to include how managers associate absences within the system. Please can you take the time to re-visit the eLearning to familiarise yourselves.
All managers are asked to take this short online course to understand the new system.
Since going live the team has received feedback regarding the volume of email notifications. The reason for these emails is because the system works on a task notification basis (called RADAR) so colleagues will receive a notification for each task that you are required to do. As the system is new these emails will be at an increased volume over the next couple of weeks whilst the system gets up and running and management get cases to where they need to be.
We have also received feedback regarding the task asking manager to associate absences. At the start of every stage a staff member triggers it will ask you to associate the absences that have triggered that stage, this will then make sure that these absences are populated in the meeting notes form and any outcome letters throughout the system. It is imperative that manager associate absences otherwise the correspondence in the system will not be accurate.
Finally, we have received feedback regarding the task notification for return to work. HR Case Manager does a prompt task to remind you to complete the return to work within Absence Manager, if you haven’t already done so. All you need to do is click complete. It will not ask you to complete a Return to Work discussion – this is merely a reminder prompt.
Q: What is HR Case Manager?
A: HR Case Manager is an element within the Empactis system to assist managers with the monitoring, recording and the management of sickness absence.
When did HR Case Manager Go live?
A: HR Case Manager went live for all sickness absence monitoring on Tuesday 2 July 2024. Training was promoted in advance - click this link to access the training
You can access the Empactis system by clicking this link and there is a desktop shortcut on your computer screen labelled ‘Empactis’.
Q: Why am I receiving emails?
A: If you are a line manager for a member of staff who has had a short term sickness absence in the last 12 months that has triggered stages, you will be emailed a notification regarding any tasks outstanding with those staff.
If you have a member of staff who is off with long term sickness currently and have triggered the long-term sickness duration stages then you will also receive email notifications advising of tasks outstanding for them.
Q: Why am I receiving email notifications for staff who I have already actioned on a stage?
A: To enable the system HR provided Empactis with what is call the “inflight sickness data.” This data included details of staff and what stages of sickness monitoring they are on. If you did not provide HR with the updated sickness stage letter and information staff will have been placed on the stage HR was aware of at the time. This means that some amendments will need to be made in the system.
Q: Why am I receiving an email notification regarding a Return to Work task which I have already done in Absence Manager?
A: HR Case Manager does a prompt task to remind you to complete the return to work if you haven’t already done so, you just need to click complete. It will not ask you to complete again it is merely a reminder prompt.
Q: What does it mean when the system asks me to associate absences?
A: At the start of every stage a staff member triggers it will ask you to associate the absences that have triggered that stage, this will then ensure these absences are populated in the meeting notes form and any outcome letters throughout the system.
Q: Why am I receiving so many emails notifications?
A: The system works on a task notification basis so you will receive a notification for each task that is needed. There will be an increased volume over the next couple of weeks whilst the system gets up and running and management get cases to where they need to be.
Q: What if I receive notification for colleagues who I do not manager/supervise, or I am not receiving notifications for those I do manage/supervise?
A: HR Case Manager is aligned to the ESR Hierarchy therefore you need to ensure this is accurate and always maintained correctly. If you receive a notification for a colleague that you do not line manage, please email the above relevant divisional HR team and ESR admin to advise that you are not the supervisor and double delete the email please.
If you do not have access/ information for appropriate colleagues then please email ESR Admin. Ask who is recorded in the ESR Hierarchy as their supervisor and request to amend to the correct supervisor.
Q: What do I do if it is telling me a member of staff is on a stage that I don’t believe they are on?
A: If you are concerned that a member of staff is on a wrong stage, or any information is incorrect then please contact you relevant divisional HR Team via the below email address:
Trust Wide Support Services – corporateandIMsickness
Secure Care Division - securedivision
Mental Health Care Division – MHCD
Community Care Division - communitycaredivisionhrteam
Q: Why is the case classed as OPEN?
A: The case will assign as OPEN as this means that the employee is open due to being on a stage. All employees on a stage will show as open.
Q: Why is the staging letter not including the associated absences?
A: Prior to opening the task to generate the staging letter to the employee you will need to associate the relevant absence so it pulls through to the letter. Please refer to the updated e-learning package for guidance on how to do this.
Q: The system is not allowing me (the case manager) to move the case on when confirming the status of OH referral. Why is this?
A: The absences must be associated before the case manager completes any task within the system. It will get stuck at this stage if the absences haven’t been associated.