Dealing with sickness absence takes up a lot of management and HR time. It can be difficult to navigate all the different considerations involved. One of those considerations is sick pay. Here are five things you should know about statutory sick pay:

  • Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum payment which must be made to employees who are off-work due to sickness. The rate of SSP is set each year by the government and is currently £109.40 per week.
  • SSP is payable to employees. Workers and self-employed contractors are not eligible.
  • Employees are not usually paid SSP during the first three ‘waiting’ days (including non-working days) of any absence. The main exception to this is if the employee has received SSP in the previous 8 weeks and completed the three ‘waiting days’ for this earlier absence.
  • SSP is payable for up to 28 weeks of absence. Employees must give their employer a fit note from the 7th day of absence onwards in order to continue to be eligible for SSP.
  • Although employers are required to pay SSP to eligible employees, they are not able to recoup this cost from the government.

Speak to Jon Dunkley

Jon is a Partner at Wollens and can advise you. Contact Jon via email jon.dunkley@wollens.co.uk or call 01271 341021.

You can also complete an online enquiry form. One of the Wollens team will contact you as soon as they are available.