Self isolating and pay

[NeedMoreWinePlease]

Sorry, posting here for traffic.

I work long shifts (in care) and recently had to self isolate due to my daughter having Covid symptoms and needing a test. Work confirmed I was not allowed into work until my daughter received a negative test, which resulted in missing 2 days of work (28 hours).

The company do not provide sick pay and, although there had been mention previously about potentially being able to use annual leave allowance this has since been declined. I was told yesterday that I would need to take it as unpaid leave.

I have since seen it mentioned that SSP now counts from the first day for self isolating if you isolate for 4 days, which includes non working days.

However, I was lucky in managing to book a test quickly and receiving the negative results back quickly. As such, I only had to isolate for 3 days, which work was aware of as I kept them fully up to date throughout. Due to my rota, I did not have another shift at work until 5 days after the negative test.

A I right in thinking I am not entitled to anything? Work have not mentioned SSP at all.

I encountered the same recently and was told I wouldn't be entitled to sick leave as it wasn't me who was sick. I was given the option of using annual leave, unpaid leave or carers leave, although I'm not sure what you're legally entitled too, that's just what my work offered.

... And people wonder why there are people who don't self isolate because they can't afford to

You wouldn't have been entitled to anything anyway as it was only your daughter who needed to isolate.

Apparently the new guidelines are that you can receive SSP if someone in your household has symptoms meaning you have to isolate, but I'm confused about the 4 day rule as I wasn't due in work.

How can they expect people to afford this? I can't see me being honest again in the future as it's not a case if me having spare money to throw around, it would literally being able to afford to pay my rent.

I don't think you can get sick pay if it wasn't you that was ill unfortunately. I think unpaid is pretty standard.

You need to isolate if someone in your house has symptoms vanillandhoney? Work told me I could not go in as my daughter was waiting for test

I work in care - we pay SSP from day 1 if you are having to isolate due to you or a family member having symptoms. This money can be reclaimed from the government so there is no reason for your company not to pay it. Ask them.

I think going by what it says on the ACAS website you should get ssp. Maybe give acas a call to check before then following it up with your employer.

Thank you, I will definitely ask them

@NeedMoreWinePlease

Apparently the new guidelines are that you can receive SSP if someone in your household has symptoms meaning you have to isolate, but I'm confused about the 4 day rule as I wasn't due in work.

How can they expect people to afford this? I can't see me being honest again in the future as it's not a case if me having spare money to throw around, it would literally being able to afford to pay my rent.

... It's very understandable prioritising a 100% certainty of losing a lot of money, so 100% you suffering vs low chance of harm to some people you don't really know

If it is so important for the public good that you should isolate, then you should be paid in full by public taxes

If it's not important enough to pay you 100%, then it's not important enough to wreck your finances by isolating.