Sick workers must be made to have a phone call with bosses to explain absence instead of sending a text or email, says Government tsar

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 08:11 EDT, 23 September 2026 | Updated: 08:11 EDT, 23 September 2026 Workers wanting to take time off sick should be forced to speak to their employer directly about their absence rather than simply sending a text or email, a senior government adviser has said.Sir Charlie Mayfield said that he wanted to 'change the norms' and block almost all employees from being able to just disappear after firing off a message.The former John Lewis boss has been leading a Government-commissioned investigation into the 300,000 people who fall out of work each year with health conditions.In an interview he said that there needed to be major changes in workplaces, suggesting managers are too frightened of receiving complaints or being taken to a tribunal to contact workers who are off to check how they are. Instead they should work together on 'return to work' plans, and be able to discuss any work-provided treatments, like physiotherapy, or offered different roles.'It's very important that you're immediately establishing a contact, a dialogue, between the employer and the employee,' he told The Times. 'So you can't just text, send a WhatsApp, or send an email. You've actually got to ring somebody up. Sir Charlie Mayfield said that he wanted to 'change the norms' and block almost all employees from being able to just disappear after firing off a message The former John Lewis boss has been leading a Government-commissioned investigation into the 300,000 people who fall out of work each year with health conditions'It gives you the opportunity to have a conversation. To say, I'm really sorry to hear that. How long is this going to be for? Is there something we can do about it?'He added: 'We're saying that we should change the norm so that it's almost never the case that you should be allowed to be off sick without being in contact with your employer.'Sir Charlie's report, titled Keep Britain Working, found that the majority of these long-term absences could be prevented through a more joined-up effort between the NHS, employers, local councils and other support services.It also recommended sharing more data across employers, in order to compare differing rates of disabled and ill people who are able to participate in the workplace, and answer questions about why.Sir Charlie said: 'Britain has spent too long treating economic inactivity as a welfare problem. It is not.'Instead, it's one of the largest and most attainable growth opportunities this country has. Britain needs to treat young people on benefits with 'tough love' as the current system has become 'a total state failure', Alan Milburn has said'We've had a National Health Service for almost 80 years. We've never had a Workplace Health System. That is why the same people appear on the welfare bill, on NHS waiting lists and in the productivity figures without anyone being able to join them up.'It's also why we are missing the best moments to help people. The new Workplace Health System would change that.'It came after another adviser said Britain needs to treat young people on benefits with 'tough love' as the current system has become 'a total state failure'.Alan Milburn, the former Labour minister who is currently writing a review on youth unemployment, said the state should provide greater employment support in exchange for a new 'duty to engage'.Those on health and disability benefits who are capable of working should be met with an 'obligation' to use that support, he added.