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Disclaimer: The Bradford Factor is one signal in a fair absence-management process. Always consider disability (Equality Act 2010), pregnancy and other protected characteristics before triggering formal action. Some absences must be discounted from any trigger system: disability-related, pregnancy-related, certified long-term sickness covered by reasonable adjustments. For a defensible absence procedure, book a call.
What is the Bradford Factor?
The Bradford Factor is a way to quantify employee absence. It weights frequent short absences more heavily than occasional long ones, on the principle that frequent short absences are more disruptive to a team than one long planned absence.
Formula: S × S × D, where S is the number of separate absence instances and D is the total days of absence.
Worked example
An employee has 5 separate absences over 12 months, totalling 10 days off. Bradford Factor = 5 × 5 × 10 = 250. That sits in the Stage 2 banding, meaning a formal absence review is likely warranted.
Typical trigger bands
- 0 to 50: Acceptable. No action.
- 51 to 124: Informal conversation.
- 125 to 200: Formal Stage 1 absence-review meeting.
- 201 to 450: Stage 2 review. Consider occupational health referral.
- 451+: Stage 3 / capability consideration.
These are typical bands, not legal limits. Set your own bands in your absence policy and apply them consistently.
Important warnings
- Disability-related absences may need to be discounted from any trigger system (Equality Act 2010).
- Pregnancy-related absences must be discounted.
- Certified long-term sickness with agreed reasonable adjustments often sits outside Bradford triggers.
- A high Bradford score is a flag, not a verdict. Always investigate before acting.