TfL Ref: 2326-1617

Thank you for your web request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 22 February 2017 asking for information about rates of employee absence on the London Underground over the last three years broken down by absence reason.  I apologise for the delay in replying.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Freedom of Information Act and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require.

Our 18,300 operational staff currently have an attendance rate of over 95 per cent.

Our in-house Occupational Health team provides a wide range of health services for all staff – in London Underground, Surface, Rail and Corporate. Information, advice and a number of initiatives are in place to help our staff look after their health and wellbeing and keep them at work wherever possible, including:

· A number of Health Fairs throughout the year across multiple locations and depots for staff to attend where they can have blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI and more measured. Staff are also able to consult with a nurse, counsellor, nutritional and wellbeing advisor and personal trainer to maintain both physical and mental health

· Annual flu vaccination clinics

· Physiotherapy and low back pain clinics

· Advice to help staff prevent medical conditions associated with shift work

· Counselling and trauma services

· Female and male specific health management

· Cancer awareness

· Stop smoking support

· Extensive advice and guidance via our staff intranet pages aimed at encouraging a healthy lifestyle, including monitoring and managing chronic conditions

To help reduce the level of staff absenteeism, our senior management works closely with Human Resources and Occupational Health to support colleagues and manage absence levels. For example, we have introduced an extensive development programme for managers at all levels on managing sickness absence.

Please find attached the requested data, covering all managerial and operational staff across all London Underground lines, for years 2014, 2015 and 2016. We do not hold data on the individual stations.  The data is days absent.

At the bottom of the lists the lines below and including the line headed ‘Training/Work rel course’ for each year is data which represents pre-agreed appointments and would not be counted as absence or leave per se.

The number of full time employees and the full time equivalent figure for each line is shown at the top of the list for each year. We do not hold data on the individual stations.

If this is not the information you are looking for, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely

Sara Thomas

FOI Case Management Team

General Counsel

Transport for London

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