Calculator · 6 min read

The Bradford Factor, explained with a free calculator.

The Bradford Factor scores absence so frequent short absences weigh more than one long one. The idea: many separate disruptions hurt a team more than a single stretch. Here is the formula, a calculator, and how to use the score fairly in Australia.

The formula

Bradford Factor = S × S × D

S = number of separate absence spells. D = total days absent. Both over a rolling 52-week window.

Bradford Factor calculator

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Absence spells (S) Separate occasions, not days. A 3-day absence is one spell. Total days absent (D)

Bradford Factor score

640

Score bands here are illustrative. Each organisation sets its own thresholds, and any action must follow a fair process and Australian workplace law.

Why frequency weighs more than length

Squaring the number of spells is the whole trick. Ten days off taken in different ways gives widely different scores.

One spell of 10 days

1 × 1 × 10. One planned recovery.

Five spells of 2 days

250

5 × 5 × 10. More disruption.

Ten spells of 1 day

1,000

10 × 10 × 10. Same days, far higher score.

Using the Bradford Factor fairly in Australia

The score is a trigger for a conversation, not a trigger for discipline. Australian workplace law does not recognise a Bradford score as grounds for action. Treat a high score as a prompt to check in.

Use it to prioritise, not to punish. A high score points you toward a supportive return-to-work conversation.
Exclude protected and planned leave. Do not score absence tied to a disability, pregnancy, or an approved long-term condition.
Apply it consistently. The same rules for everyone, with room for individual circumstances.
Follow a fair process before any action. The general protections still apply. See the legal explainer below.

Important. A Bradford score is not a lawful reason to dismiss someone. Read can you fire an employee for too many sick days in Australia before you act on any score.

Spot frequency without the formula.

Absence flags frequent short absences and surfaces the return-to-work conversation, so you act with care rather than a raw score. Free for teams of 5.

Start free → Calculate your absenteeism rate →

Sources and notes

The Bradford Factor is a widely used absence-scoring method, B = S × S × D, applied over a rolling 52-week period.

Score bands are illustrative and organisation-specific. The Bradford Factor is a management aid, not a legal standard. Any action on attendance in Australia must follow a fair process and the Fair Work Act. This page is general information, not legal advice.