To change my hairdresser for this reason

[ElderAve]

I've been going to the same salon for more than two decades. Various stylists in that time and I have occasionally tried somewhere else but I'm never as happy and always end up back there. It's expensive so it should be good mind.

When I first started going it was owner managed, he expanded to become a small chain of three shops and then sold up to a larger chain (still trades under the old name, I don't know who they're owned by.)

During the inevitable chat about the virus today, the hairdresser told me that since the takeover, they don't get sick pay for the first 3 days so she's worried that people might not take time off when they should.

Quite apart from the current situation I am shocked that a successful business, charging premium rates to customers would treat its staff so badly. I just paid £45 for a hair cut. The salon has probably 20 chairs and you have to book weeks in advance or you don't get in, the place must be a goldmine .

However, if I go elsewhere, I know I won't be as happy with my hair

That’s capitalism for you. This is why when I end up in political discussions I say to people “do you think you could be more socialist than you are?”.people berate socialism but then complain when “the state” / business owners don’t want to provide for everyone.

We dont get sick pay for the first 2 days. Local government.

That's standard for a lot of businesses, so you'll be limiting your options if you are going to boycott any others with the same policy!

I would think it very good if more people chose a hairdresser this way

I’m not the person to ask because I cut my own hair

But I can imagine sone of these places can afford to pay sick pay.

I feel ashamed that I didn’t realise so many jobs didn’t pay decent sick pay. I had done bank or agency jobs, and hourly paid hospitality jobs at points in my life and knew those didn’t pay if you weren’t there - also freelanced for a long time and that obviously isn’t covered .

But most of my career has been in salaried jobs - large corporate and small outfits, though always in the private sector, and those always covered full pay for a decent length of time.

It’s been a revelation .

I work in the public sector and remember being appalled that I wouldn't get sick pay for the first 3 days for the for the first 6 months of my contract.

That’s standard for SSP so you could be boycotting a lot of businesses if you apply your principles to all.

Employers can’t even claim SSP back from the government now. Many small employers can’t afford to pay more and really struggle when staff are off.

in my professional employment our firm allowed 20 sick days on full pay. Because I had a TUPE contract from my old employer who they took over, I was actually entitled to 3 months on full pay then 3 months on 1/3 pay.

Contracts like that are not that common now though. Mine dated back years.

Most salons don't employ stylists these days unless they're pretty big. They're usually self-employed.

In which case (unless they have insurance - unlikely) they get nothing when they're sick. Or if clients cancel.

Completely normal. I'm 48 and never ever had sick pay, and always worked...

it's the same with retail so I guess not many shops you could go to! IKEA is the only exception I can think of

Wow. I had no idea it was so widespread. Great way to ensure people come to work sick then.

I think there's going to be a governmental rule on this imminently. Something has to be done otherwise people will be spreading the virus as they can't afford to go sick or self isolate.
As for self employed I don't know. Emergency sickness benefit of some kind.
The government are probably working on the sums as we speak. Hopefully

I had no clue this was common. I get up to 28 weeks paid sick leave and was annoyed at the lattest "reform" that cancels it after 2 periods in 18months unless someone intervenes. It one of the reasons I don't like the concept of the 'gig economy' and won't use uber or similar.

We only get sick pay after you have been there 2 years and then after three days

SSP is going to be paid from day one

Loads of companies don’t pay sick pay. One of the biggest is care agency’s I believe!
The company I work for is a multi million pound business. One of the people (obviously high up in the company) gets paid over £100k per year and they work something like half a day a week) and we have only recently started to get sick pay

We’re a 30 place nursery charging £60 a day. We get mimimum wage despite being degree level qualified and no sick pay.

Happens more than you realise

Great way to ensure people come to work sick then

True but they'd just challenge back and say it stops workers pulling a sick day here and there when they are not actually ill.

@DareDevil223 I'm horrified you do, but then again it's easy paying sick day from day one when the organisation doesn't have to earn the money.

Yes, when she said it, I assumed it was because she's self employed, but she's not

I'm not sure whether the Boris SSP change will apply to people who are not actually ill but need to self isolate for 14 days. I think this is the issue and why the virus will spread, there are too many people who are not in a position where they can self isolate and still get paid. A lot of people could wfh but that maybe only applies to maybe 20-30 percent of jobs, if that.

Seems to me the biggest fallout for the UK from this virus will be loads of people suddenly waking up to how shit the lowest paid in society are treated.

Not that they will then do anything about it - after all it's hardly been kept a secret these past years.