Husband has a sick line for 2 weeks, work has said it will be without pay

[cocolepew]

DH has had presumed SF, he went to his GP today to pick up a sickline. He has been sent to A&E as an urgent case for a chest x-ray. He has had chest problems in the past.

He phoned his superior to let him know and he said it will have to be unpaid as they are "trying to save money" (it's big international company).

Instead of saying "I don't think so, matey", DH said "Oh. Ok." It's not ok, he is entitled to 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay.

Any advice?

Thanks.

[Sidge]

If his contract says he can have 6 months off sick on full pay then I don't see how they can NOT pay him for a week or two off.

I would get your DH to pull out his copy of his contract and check with his pay office that he will be paid as per his contract.

(But I am not a legal-eagle person!)

[PuppyMonkey]

You usually self certificate the first seven days anyway don't you?

[cocolepew]

That's what I said Sidge, I think he was so shocked he couldn't form words . I told him to phone human resorces. He has gone to hospital now, and I think he should phone work back again and say that it's not acceptable. They are working under the pressure of reduncies at the moment and I think it was a knee jerk reaction by his superior.

[Alibabaandthe40nappies]

How can they go against what is his contract?

[cocolepew]

Puppy, his work wanted a line, that's why he got one. They're being a bit arsey IMO.

[ilovemydogandmrobama]

Presumably if it's an international company, then there's a H/R department? He should call them when he can.

Your DH's boss doesn't determine who is paid sick pay or not, so he shouldn't worry. he was following procedure for reporting an illness -- i.e. call your line manager. Even if he doesn't qualify for full pay, he will at least get statutory sick pay.

Not a very compassionate boss though!

Hope he gets better soon

[wannaBe]

I imagine that more companies will start to demand a note because swine flu gives the perfect opportunity for people (not your dp obviously) to take the piss.

Re sick pay though, i would get him to speak to his HR department to clarify.

[cocolepew]

Thanks everyone, I'll get him to phone when he gets back and ask on what basis do they think they can get away without paying him.

Thanks again

[flowerybeanbag]

If he's been signed off for two weeks he will need a sick note anyway, so it makes perfect sense to ask for one to cover the whole period rather than getting him to self-certify for the first week then going to get a note for the second week.

He must check his contract/sick pay policy very carefully to make sure there is no element of discretion involved. 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay is incredibly generous to give anyone off sick automatically, and I would advise he just double checks that it is actually automatic, and there's nothing in there about manager's discretion.

[lal123]

just to say that in NHS we get 6 months full then 6 months half pay too - automatically

[cocolepew]

Hmm I get the same sick pay automatically, but I work for an education board.

Thinking about it I think 6 months full pay is wrong, he had a motorbike accident, 2 years ago, and went on to half pay after 3 months.

He's still at the hospital, so I can't speak to him.

[flowerybeanbag]

Any chance you might know where his contract is coco, or his staff handbook, lying around in papers at home somewhere, so you can check for him if he's still in hospital and unable to do so himself?

[cocolepew]

I don't know where his contract is, FBB, it's not in the folder with mine, so dear only knows where he's stashed it.

He should be back in a couple of hours.

Thanks for the replies, I was a bit ticked off, that when, dh said "I have to go straight to hospital there's something wrong with my lungs" The only words his boss said were we're not paying you!

[flowerybeanbag]

Oh absolutely, incredibly unsympathetic and unhelpful of his boss I totally agree. But it's just important your DH double checks the position in terms of to what extent he is actually guaranteed this sick pay in his contract before confronting either his boss or HR, because depending on what the contract actually says, the best way to handle it might differ.

[delirious123]

how much sick did he have after accident. It may be that they count that still.

[cocolepew]

We found out more info, his work mayrefuse to pay to people with suspected SF. He has been diagnosed with post viral fatigue after having presumed SF. Nobody is being swapped any more so I don't see how anyone is to know for definite.

His DR is going to leave him out a letter for his work.

Thanks for your replies.

[flowerybeanbag]

I'm assuming the sick pay policy or contract doesn't actually say that, seeing as no one had heard of swine flu until a few weeks ago, but if they are claiming they have the right to refuse I'm guessing they've either got that right built into the contracts or have negotiated it with staff/unions recently. Obviously if the contract/policy says 6 months full pay (or whatever it is) with no exceptions and no discretion, they can't just suddenly introduce an exception whenever they feel like it as soon as there's an outbreak of something..