Sick Pay

[131104E]

Up until 27 Dec 2024 At work if I was off sick I was lucky enough to be paid full pay
In 12 years apart from Covid ( when you were told not to go into work )I haven’t been off sick
Now if I am off sick I only get SSP

Can your employer change the rules like this

Was it in your original contract? Have you been notified in writing? Been through a consultation period?

Usually no, but it depends if it’s classed as a fundamental change. There’s case law somewhere saying it was for someone with a disability, but this was years ago. And usually if it relates to pay, it’s classed as fundamental and can’t be readily changed.

@Whoknowswhatanymore

Original contract - full pay when off sick

Message sent in work group chat only SSP paid from Dec 27th 2024
This is the only advance notice we got

Does your contract say the sick pay is discretionary? I would ask for a copy of the sickness absence policy as that should detail everything. They can’t change your contract without a proper consultation process and certainly not in a group chat.

I would ring ACAS and see what they say. Are you in a Union?

How many paid sick days were you entitled to prior to this?

Seems an unusual move for a company to take away paid sick leave completely. Amending an absence policy isn't unusal though. But it's usually to make things clearer or redefine thing, such as uncertified and certified leave, amount of paid leave and what of that is full pay or half pay etc

Probably due to piss takers. There's always people who ruin it

I would contact ACAS

How long would full pay normally have been for. Ours is two months sick pay then two months half pay.

To clarify: how long were you off sick?

@yipyipyop

Yep that’s the reason I believe it has changed

@Miley1967

Im not entirely sure - I know I should have but as I had only been off for 5 days before and got paid I didn’t look into it further

@itsallbowlsbaby

today is my first day off sick since the new rules came into play

Check your contract and see if there is a variation clause.

Yes - this would be the reason for policy implementation or amendment - usually focusing on certification. Such as in a place where certification is needed for absences over two days, amending so it was also required if you were off one day but it was a Friday or Monday.

Removing it completely would be unusal.

They normally need to give notice of a contractual change. Was full pay time limited and might you have exceeded the "allowance" ?

Yes they can but there’s a strict process to follow

Removing or amending it could, however, be as a result of the massive increase in employers NI that businesses are facing. If the average person earns £35k a year and takes 5.7 days a year off sick, then the potential saving of c £800 is 75% towards finding the higher NI bill!! It might also mean that some form of pay rise is also affordable…

True. Big decision though to remove, so often paid sick leave is an attracton/retainer.

In a nutshell OP, yes they can remove paid sick leave or make it stricter. Check the policy.