Tesco staff who take two and a half or more unauthorised sick days every six months are being issued with disciplinary warnings.

In a bid to crack down on sick days, Tesco has reduced the percentage of hours staff can take as sick leave without being investigated from 3% to 2% at its Highbury Metro store in London.

Workers exceeding the 2% limit over a 26-week period have to account for themselves at an investigatory meeting.

Those who could not prove they were sick would receive warnings, which could result in dismissal, said a Tesco spokesman. But if the reasons for their absence were legitimate, Tesco would offer them support and help to get back into work.

No firm plans had yet been made to roll the initiative out to other stores, the spokesman said, but he did not rule out the move.

Tesco reduced the threshold across its estate from 5% to 3% five years ago. Workers expressed concern that the latest trial would prompt a further reduction.

“Tesco thinks too many people are off sick,” said one Herefordshire-based Tesco worker.

“But what do they expect when we are short-staffed as it is and get no thanks for what we do?”

Meanwhile, more than 750 workers from Tesco’s Chepstow distribution centre have been asked to sign new contracts, which could result in an eight-year pay freeze or redundancy, as part of plans to move the site to Bristol in January.

A spokesman said the package on offer was one of the best in the sector.

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