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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To ask what your sickness policy is at work?

100 replies

VixxFace · 06/07/2015 18:30

I have been at my company for 9 months and have had 1 day off sick (taken from holiday) and stupidly didn't check the sickness policy out. I have been for hospital appointments but took out of my lunch break.

Read it properly and asked questions today and we don't get paid for any sickness. If you're off for more than 3 days you get statutory sick pay Â£88 a week!

I am shocked. So if you break your leg or come down with a serious illness you will get 90 quid a week to live off and potentially not be able to pay your bills.

What is your sickness policy and is mine unreasonable.

Yes I know i am unreasonable for not checking contract . Looking for a new job now.

OP posts:

shebird · 06/07/2015 20:24

I work for a very small company- there is no formal sick pay scheme that im aware of. I think my employers take it as it comes and try and treat us as grown ups. We all work hard, no one pulls sickies and we do get paid if off sick. Sickness is never treated with suspicion. There are no back to work interviews or nonsense like that. There is never an issue with hospital or doctors appointments, we just try to make up the time when we can. It works both ways, we often come in early when it's busy and don't always take full lunch breaks. The employers recognise this, it's give and take and all about trust and being grown ups.

tobysmum77 · 06/07/2015 20:30

That's kind of how it is where I work too shebird although there is a formal entitlement. If I was off sick tomorrow no one would turn a hair. It makes life less stressful all round. Therefore people take less time off. I won't say when my last sick day was as I've been lucky and don't want to tempt fate.

DH is self employed and doesnt understand why I dont just take the odd day off....

MrsSkywalker205 · 06/07/2015 20:32

Husband is private sector retail and gets 6 month full pay and 6 half :)

elliejjtiny · 06/07/2015 20:36

DH gets the minimum amount, I think it's 3 days nothing, 6 months SSP and then nothing after that.

Frasras11 · 06/07/2015 20:36

NHS here so 6 months full, 6 months half pay. Always have a back to work interview (even if it's pregnancy related like me at the minute) and we have a short term and long term sickness policy. It's managers discression but sick policy can be triggered after 2 absences in a year. Works pretty well though e.g when DS started nursery we had a period of picking up everything going. I have digestive issues so always pick up the tummy bugs. Manager knows this about me so policy not triggered as he knew I wasn't taking the piss. However a lot of people do and I do think it's a generous amount of sick pay.

Mistigri · 06/07/2015 20:37

Full pay here - private sector employer.

Shakey1500 · 06/07/2015 20:37

Zilch, nada here also I've been off since May 1st and am expected to be off till mid August.

£88 per week absolutely fucking sucks, and it's a damn good job we have/had buffer savings. Sticks in my throat we've had to use them though.

Murfles · 06/07/2015 20:40

Six months full pay and six months half pay. We have return to work interviews which is pretty standard.

purplemurple1 · 06/07/2015 20:41

Nothing as I'm self employed I have been for 3 yrs and so far so lucky!

My last employer gave 3 months full, 3 months half pay, I think.

ivykaty44 · 06/07/2015 20:45

I used to work for a hotel and first three days were not paid, the SSP kicked in. BUT what they didn't day was those three days didn't have to be consecutive but with a month I think...
Pso if you were off sick for one day or two days one week then two weeks later were off sick again for three days for example SSP should start to kick in.

I now work in public sector and its all accountable and you start procedure if your off dick, but I do get paid.

ilovesooty · 06/07/2015 20:45

I think it's 3 months full and 3 months half but I've never been off that long.

First day is unpaid until 8 month probationary period is completed. Formal absence procedures kick in after third episode of absence in a rolling 6 month period.

Return to work interviews are standard even after a 1 day absence but merely record that you've reported your absence according to procedure and whether you've seen a GP and whether you need any support or adjustments. You're encouraged to stay off until you're properly recovered.

Not allowed to use annual leave to cover illness.

Up to 12 hours a year paid to cover private circumstances which include medical appointments but it's not strictly monitored or enforced and people treat it with respect.

I work for a charity.

Original poster

VixxFace · 06/07/2015 20:50

I have started looking for a new job as I am going to start ivf at the end of the year and there has been no leniency with my hospital appointments. I don't know what will happen when I have to do the actual ivf.

Anyone had any experience of that.

We don't get a pension and if we are late more than 3 times in a month we get sacked straight away. A real shit company.

OP posts:

LyingWitchInTheWardrobe2726 · 06/07/2015 20:51

Our sickness policy is very good - private sector. I'm on sick leave at the moment, signed off until the end of July. We're paid as normal, get a doctor's note for anything over 7 days. I suppose, if there were repetitive sickness absences, it would be looked at on a case by case basis but nobody really seems to be sick in our office. I've been sick twice in 8 years and both were hospital admissions for a week with recuperation afterwards.

ilovesooty · 06/07/2015 20:54

Don't they have to provide a pension?

The lateness policy sounds draconian but I can't imagine why you'd be late more than three times in a month under normal circumstances.

ilovesooty · 06/07/2015 20:55

One of my colleagues had ivf last year. I think it was treated as medical procedure or pregnancy related absence rather than standard sick leave.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 06/07/2015 20:56

6 months full pay, 6 months half Blue Chip but absences are heavily monitored and managed.

SaltySeaBird · 06/07/2015 20:58

No sick pay, can just apply for statutory after three days but as far as the company is concerned, if you're not in the building you're not getting paid.

Holiday has to requested a month in advance so can't be used for sickness either.

Heathcliff27 · 06/07/2015 21:01

I'm actually off sick recovering from an operation. Nothing for first 3 days and SSP of £88.45 per week for 26 weeks then nowt.

OhBigHairyBollocks · 06/07/2015 21:14

Amazed at some of the sickness policies here. I think I need a new job. Jack shit if you are sick here.

Horsemad · 06/07/2015 21:19

I work for a charity and get eight weeks full pay; no return to work interviews. We have a couple of people who take the p* with days off here and there and the rest of the staff are seething...

cathcustard · 06/07/2015 21:20

No sick pay for first 5 days but then full pay for up to 3 months.
No unpaid leave allowed.
I've had one day off in 5 years and couldn't quite believe it.

SellMySoulForSomeSleep · 06/07/2015 21:26

I work in a big retail company. No sick pay at all. Just suck it up. I had one day of sick after a hgv ploughed into my stationary car with me in it. I was doubled over like the hunchback while talking to customers in astonishing pain. But i couldn't afford to have time off.

BeaufortBelle · 06/07/2015 21:43

Well, if you aren't available for work, technically you are in breach of contract and not entitled to pay. Some of the policies do seem draconian though.

I am HR and manage sickness as part of my job. I think I am generally quite kind. Our staff are entitled to 6 months' full and 6 months' half pay. We do manage absence quite robustly in relation to casual, frequent absences but are very supportive when people are suffering from serious illnesses.

I have often suggested people ask to convert sickness to annual leave even though I shouldn't; I have occasionally gone to someone's home with food and spent a couple of hours with them and given them my personal details; I have gone to great lengths to get the boss to approve another month or two of full pay for long standing staff with children or other dependents receiving chemo, etc.

When I have had to take disciplinary action against people who have high levels of occasional absence or who are swinging the lead - who have been seen in coffee shops and wine bars having a lovely time I have been called a **ing shit and worse and to expect Karma in another life. I have to manage the small stuff so I can support the serious stuff because my department is judged on metrics.

I do my very best to support the people who are really and desperately ill but I can only do that by managing those who aren't genuine robustly. Sadly I can't discuss beyond my department what we sometimes do for those who really need help.

GlitzAndGigglesx · 06/07/2015 21:47

No sick pay and you have to phone in 24 hours before your return or face being sent home if you just turn up. I argued this when I was off one day for pregnancy related illness as I obviously couldn't predict when I'd return. I did return next day but only because I couldn't afford another full days loss

BeaufortBelle · 06/07/2015 21:51

My post really upset me. I don't know how much longer I can do this job.

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