The Bradford Factor and managing absence.

What the Bradford Factor is

The Bradford Factor is a simple score that weights frequent short absences more heavily than one long one, on the basis that repeated short spells are more disruptive. It is a prompt for a conversation — not a decision-making machine.

The formula

• Score = S × S × D, where S is the number of separate absence spells and D is the total days absent, over a rolling period (usually 12 months).
• One absence of 10 days: 1 × 1 × 10 = 10.
• Five absences totalling 10 days: 5 × 5 × 10 = 250.
• Ten absences totalling 10 days: 10 × 10 × 10 = 1,000.

Setting trigger points

There is no legal standard. Many organisations use something like 50 for an informal chat, 125 for a formal review and 250 for a stage-one warning under the absence procedure. Choose levels that fit your size and sector, publish them, and apply them consistently. Every trigger should lead to a conversation, never an automatic sanction.

Absences to exclude

• Pregnancy-related absence must be disregarded — counting it is unlawful discrimination.
• Disability-related absence should normally be discounted or the trigger adjusted as a reasonable adjustment.
• Consider excluding industrial injury, hospital treatment and bereavement-related absence.
• Statutory family leave is not sickness absence and should never be scored.

Return-to-work meetings

The single most effective absence measure is a short return-to-work conversation after every absence. It confirms the person is fit to be back, picks up patterns early, shows the absence was noticed, and gives you a written record if a formal stage is ever needed.

Common mistakes

• Treating the score as the decision rather than the trigger for a conversation.
• Including pregnancy or disability-related absence in the score.
• No written absence policy, so trigger points appear invented after the fact.
• Never doing return-to-work meetings, then acting on months of accumulated absence.

Want a hand with this?

If absence is creeping up, we can put a clear policy, sensible trigger points and a simple tracker in place — and coach you through the first few conversations.

Important: This guide is general information only and does not replace legal advice on your specific situation. Rules and official guidance change, so always check the latest guidance before making employment decisions.