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Original poster

Would you expect to be told if you were going to be paid less than usual?

25 replies

BonnesVacances · 04/12/2017 11:01

I've been off work for 6 weeks, signed off by the GP for stress (28 days, then a further 2 weeks). I've been in contact with work since then to discuss the issues contributing to the stress and my return to work (as instigated by me). I go back tomorrow on a phased basis, also as per the GP note.

Nothing has been said about pay. But I was paid a few days ago and I've been paid just over half what I normally get. I checked my contract and it says I'd be paid SSP for time off sick, but I have always been paid at the normal rate when off for a day or two. The amount I've been paid is more than SSP and I can't work out how it has been calculated.

I'm not sure how to feel tbh. Part of me is pleased that I've been paid something. But the other part feels that they could have warned me, especially considering the stress that could be caused by unexpectedly receiving significantly less income. I assume now that my reduced hours as part of my phased return will be reduced too and think that could have formed part of the return to work discussion?

I don't intend to do anything about it as I'm unhappy with the company anyway and this is just another nail in the coffin. But I wondered if my expectations just for a heads up are unrealistic?

OP posts:

Allthebestnamesareused · 04/12/2017 12:10

I suspect your employment contract says that you are paid for a certain number of days at your normal rate and then SSP after that time. They won't have needed to tell you because your contract would have this in it and it is assumed you know the contents of your contract.

uncoolnn · 04/12/2017 12:13

I work in retail management and although I would have mentioned it to any of my staff just out of courtesy, it will be in your contract and so they haven't done anything wrong by not mentioning it

ofudginghell · 04/12/2017 12:18

They are under no obligation to remind you of pay for sickness etc etc it's down to you to know where you stand in regards to situations that come up like this one.
If your go note is saying to phase you back into work you will be back to work so will be paid for the hours you work I would think.
Do you have a supervisor or someone In accounts dept you can speak to?

Every company is different in how they structure leave and sickness etc.
How long have you been with them?

Original poster

BonnesVacances · 04/12/2017 13:26

Thanks. I'm not questioning it because I think they have done anything wrong. But as uncoolnn says, I would have hoped they'd have mentioned it out of courtesy. Luckily I did know my contract so wasn't expecting much, other than a heads up which obviously I didn't get.

Anyway, will move on from it and will just manage future expectations accordingly. Thanks.

OP posts:

flowery · 04/12/2017 14:50

"they could have warned me, especially considering the stress that could be caused by unexpectedly receiving significantly less income"

But why was it "unexpected"? You have been off for 6 weeks, and you are familiar with the terms of your contract. Surely you were expecting to receive significantly less pay than usual? And in fact if you've had half pay, that's surely a fair bit more than you'd be expecting, not less?

GingerbreadMa · 04/12/2017 14:53

Sorry OP, if I was signed off for 6 weeks I would be phoning HR to find out how that length of time off is paid. I would see that as my job not anyone elses.

Original poster

BonnesVacances · 04/12/2017 15:32

The question is would you expect to be told? I guess the answer is no.

Courtesy does work both ways though and I'm disappointed by the lack of theirs. At least I know I had the courtesy to keep them informed while I was off so they knew what was happening. I wasn't obliged to do that but I just thought it was a reasonable thing to do.

It does make it easier now though knowing it's not necessary, so there is that at least! It will make me feel less guilty about the time I've had off.

Thanks for the replies and the views.

OP posts:

GingerbreadMa · 04/12/2017 15:41

Um, no...you ARE obliged to let them know whats happening when youre off sick. Thats not doing them a warm-fuzzy favour!

flowery · 04/12/2017 15:58

Them paying you over and above your sick pay entitlement makes you feel less guilty about taking the time off?

It probably didn’t occur to them that you’d consider them paying you extra as something you’d feel you needed to be notified of as a courtesy!

BritInUS1 · 04/12/2017 16:01

I'm not sure why they would give you the heads up. You have been off sick, you are aware of your contract, why do they need to spell it out?

flowery · 04/12/2017 16:48

They’ve paid you more than your contract specifies. That’s a nice thing for them to do. I’m pretty astonished you think they are lacking in courtesy. If they could read this I imagine there’d be a “why on earth do we bother” reaction, and you’d get SSP next time!

Original poster

BonnesVacances · 04/12/2017 20:36

Like I said, thanks for the views. I just wanted to know if I was wrong for expecting a heads up and the overwhelming consensus is that I was.

OP posts:

ThePinkPanter · 05/12/2017 00:02

But you did have a heads up.... It was in your contract. That I presume you read and signed?

WhatShallIDoWithMyself · 05/12/2017 00:16

How big is the company you work for? If it's very small, (and you've always got on well with payroll people) then you'd be likely to get a heads up.
If it's quite large, and more than one or two processing payroll then sorry, your personal situation is likely to have gone unnoticed during the churning of the software.

AlexanderHamilton · 05/12/2017 00:23

I work in payroll & it wouldn't occur to me to contact someone.

My company pays into an industry insurance scheme called Welplan. It means that most workers get a bit more than just SSP for a certain number of weeks. Sometimes the boss will tell us to pay someone full pay for their 'waiting days'. That's a nice thing to do not an obligation b

Original poster

BonnesVacances · 05/12/2017 07:49

It's a small company and the person who I've been speaking to while off is the person who would have made the decision what to pay me. She doesn't know that I'm aware of terms of my contract, though I do accept that this is my responsibility and not hers and I now appreciate that she's not interested in whether I know what I'm getting paid or not.

It's been helpful getting the simple views having stripped out everything else that's been going on because ultimately that's how they'd see it and that's the perspective I now have. There are other issues with the company that led to my being off with stress in the first place which will have clouded how I feel about it and them. But I'll focus on the fact that they paid me more than they needed to and feel grateful for that.

OP posts:

haveacupoftea · 05/12/2017 08:02

You are being ridiculous. When you take 6 weeks off sick surely you expect to lose pay, you don't need a 'heads up.' It's expected that you know the terms of your contract.

I'd be interested to know what your other problems with the company are and if they are as unreasonable as this one.

Jellybean85 · 05/12/2017 08:10

Having been in the position of your employer I would have been wary about discussing such things with you. Especially given the nature of your illness. When I had a staff member off with stress I was really careful to not 'pile on' information about Work, I thought they would want the space and distance. So wouldn't have provided updates about stuff like that for fear of seeming like I was hassling them, I left it all at their pace and just answered questions when needed. So it might not be that they don't care but didn't want to overstep the mark by discussing Work. Tbf I also would have assumed ssp was assumed

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar · 05/12/2017 08:17

She doesn't know I'm aware of the terms of my contract
You signed your contract, it's assumed you knew what it contained!
And of course it's necessary to keep them informed of what's happening when you're off for six weeks. Where are you getting the notion that it was just a courteous gesture on your part??

WitchesHatRim · 05/12/2017 08:21

She doesn't know I'm aware of the terms of my contract

Well considering I hope you signed it, yes she does.

At least I know I had the courtesy to keep them informed while I was off so they knew what was happening. I wasn't obliged to do that

Yes you are obliged to keep your employers informed.

Ragwort · 05/12/2017 08:27

I think it is extremely fortunate that you were paid for the first few days you were off sick - in my last job my employment record was exemplary, high scoring appraisals, often worked extra hours/days to cover etc etc - when I was blue lighted into hospital and had to take two days off they were quick enough to deduct the money from my salary - but that's what my contract said. Luckily I have moved to a much nicer organisation now.

catchyjem · 05/12/2017 08:50

I think they may not have mentioned you would be paid less as it could be seen as putting pressure on you to return to work, especially as you are off with stress. I think they are just being careful.

flowery · 05/12/2017 08:52

If they had given you the "heads up" you wanted, it would have consisted of "Just to give you a heads up, we're going to pay you a bit extra over and above your sick pay entitlement, just letting you know so you don't think you've been overpaid"

Why would this person think you might not be aware what's in your contract?

PhilODox · 05/12/2017 08:57

I'm sorry, but your expectations are completely unreasonable. What happens with sick pay is in your contract, it's not up to your employer to inform you you'll be in SSP, surely it would be obvious? You may want to double-check your contract, as often there are clauses about how long and how many times a year they'll pay SSP too (e.g. a cap of six months SSP in any 12 month period).

I do hope you're feeling better though

user7654321 · 05/12/2017 09:29

If I was off work for 6 weeks then I would want to know and I would certainly contact HR/Payroll to check. I think it’s your job to ask how much you will be paid.

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