How does sick pay work?

[MinnieMouse0]

I know it will likely vary employer to employer but how does sick pay work?

My employer isn’t great and only gives 5 weeks full pay for sickness, then you go to SSP.

I am off just now with work related stress - when I return to work I will have been off for 6 weeks.

I am expecting to return for about 4 weeks then need to have a small operation and will be off for 4 weeks.

So is the 5 weeks sick pay per illness, or is it per 12 months? I don’t really want to turn on my laptop to check the handbook but might have to 😕

Your 5 weeks sick pay would usually be for a fix period, such as 12 months rather than for each illness.
Also 5 weeks is quite generous. There are many people who are only eligible for SSP.

It's usually on a rolling 12 months, so you'd get 5 weeks and then other absences are SSP only until 12 months since the first day of absence then it resets. That's how it works most places I've worked anyway

is it worth checking the government website and asking your line manager? Xx

I agree with PPs it's usually in a rolling 12 month period so you will have used your 5 weeks paid so only get SSP for the operation

Thanks I did suspect it would be the 12 months rolling!

I don’t think 5 weeks is very good tbh - especially for mental health or chronic conditions. I should have income protection but neither of my absences would be covered anyway.

5 weeks is very generous compared to other work places. It will likely be on a rolling 12 month basis. So your ‘allowance’ will reset 12 months from the date of the first incident of sickness.

Not really the point of the thread but 6 months ago I didn’t expect to be in this position and I still didn’t think 5 weeks was good. Maybe it is subjective and industry dependent.

How long do you think businesses should commit to pay sickness?
The 5 weeks is contractual and the minimum they will pay.
All companies have the discretion to pay more.

I worked for a company with a 5 week sickness policy but when a colleague was diagnosed with cancer they paid in full for the duration of treatment.

Most people will not take anywhere close to the 5 week limit over the course of 12 months and anything above that you are best speaking to your employer to see if they will apply any discretion. Given the tone of your posts, I'm not sure they would be inclined to in this case.

I think employers only have discretion re sick pay if it’s in your contract/handbook. My salary is fine but the benefits are poor, especially when you consider the firms turnover and revenues.

Sorry not sure what you mean about my tone, this is just how I type on the internet. I guess the anxiety/depression doesn’t help 🥲

Employers always have discretion.
Have you spoken to them about this?

That's generous . I get nothing apart from SSP

Actually 5 weeks full pay is very good -
most employers don’t offer that much

You need to read your handbook to know what your company policy is but I suspect it is a 12 month rolling period

5 weeks full pay is a lot better than most people receive.

I think people are being harsh.

I don't think 5 weeks is generous, but I do think it would more than cover most people's annual ill health. All the organisations I've worked for had 3 or 6 months full pay, then the same again half pay. For illness covered by sick notes.

5 weeks wouldn't cover someone having a major operation (hysterectomy is 6 weeks off at least), cancer treatment, a nasty accident involving pinned broken leg etc

But it depends on how well your company uses discretion. Most would continue paying during cancer treatment. Some may even pay for time off whilst nursing a dying child.

But some people do take sick leave inappropriately and as a result companies bring in lower levels of benefits to discourage it. Managing staff through a sickness policy may be more effective in my experience.

No and probably won’t speak to them, I’ve been there for less than 2 years and I’m going to submit a flexible working request when I go back so don’t really want to annoy anyone.

In my experience employers don’t have discretion unless it’s in the contract. Not sick pay but had a battle with a previous employer over exam resit fees, cba with the drama.

Only ever worked in places where you get 6 months full and 6 months half pay so it's mind blowing to me that companies only pay 5 weeks.

Never had more than about 3 days sick in a year either, apart from when I had COVID which didn't go against sickness at our place at the time.

How do people survive?

@Hellohah I had to sell stuff to help fund my time off for an operation and lend money from my Mum. I've never had a job that pays anything but SSP but now I'm in the NHS that's changed. That's why people came to work with Covid, couldn't afford not to. (Non health care settting)

In my private company job we only got sick pay if it was due to work you were off. Otherwise 3 days no pay then SSP.

In my current role it's 6 months full pay after 5 years and 6 months half pay. For the first 6 months it's SSP then it goes on how long your service is so 1 year 1 month full pay 1 month half pay.

I got cancer twice a year apart. Company policy was three months’ paid sick leave over a two-year period, then three months’ half pay. It was very difficult, as I’d used most of my entitlement on the first diagnosis. For the second diagnosis, I was screwed, as it was within the same two-year period.

If you don't speak to them, they can't do anything. They may not anyway - but communicating is the only way to know.
I'd recommend speaking to them anyway - if you've been there less than 2 years and are all ready signed off with work related stress, are you sure this is the right job for you?

The stress is a mixture of outside of work life events and work things. But no it’s not the firm for me, I hate it here. Have been looking for a job for a while but there isn’t much for me in my area so I might end up just quitting and doing some temp admin jobs for a bit ☺️

@MinnieMouse0 Sorry you’re unwell. I’ve been off on stress leave too. Initially thought I needed a couple of weeks but turned into three months. You don’t plan for it. I had no idea what the company sick pay policy was until I needed to access it. I hope you feel better soon.

I don't think 5 weeks is very good either and there's nothing wrong with your tone.

5 weeks doesn't cover joint replacements or hysterectomy for example, and that's without any other episodes in the 12m period. It's not a great workforce when you have to save up to have your hip replaced. My last employer offered 6m paid, then moving (subject to an assessment) to an (employer paid) insurance policy for a proportion.

All the best.

Five weeks is quite generous, it’s 12 days where I work.