Half pay

[Bloom15]

I am employed full time and pick up approximately £1830 per month. I was off for -about 5 weeks on November 2923 and January 2024 over 2 absences due to cataract surgery.

My dad passed away the end of August and I was signed off for 6 weeks. I got paid today and I was £400 down. I contacted my manager straight away and was told I had moved onto half pay from 13/9.

I believe this is incorrect as I should be on 6 months full pay and the letter states 60 days.

Regardless of whether it is right or wrong- should I have been advised in advance of going on half pay? I am livid

This is a grey area. I line manage staff who take long periods of sickness off and surprisingly enough return the day before their pay goes to 50%.
Very often people like to play systems and for management it's frustrating. I'm not saying you did this but your management may have thought you were.
Any drop in pay would have to be inline with the policy on sick pay. You must have gone over the 6 months.
There is no reason for them to tell you as if sick you should go back when ready not just because your pay is dropping. That gives the impression that you were intending to take the 6 months full pay then return.

Some civil servants that have tuped to private- the conditions of the 6 months full pay come takes into account sickness within a 4 year rolling period not 12 months rolling period (I used to work for a CS org like that and some legacy staff were on old T&Cs and the rest are on new T&Cs with these rules) so it’s worth checking that. Staff are also written to when they hit a trigger date but this doesn’t always happen

Really?? That’s odd.

I wasn't at all waiting for 6 months to come - I am only usually off with asthma (I have severe/brittle asthma). This year I happened to be off due to cataract surgery. I only had cataracts at 43 due to the asthma medication I take!

I hate the suggestion that I am playing the system. I am severely depressed due to the death of my father.

ACAS states employees need to be advised before they got half pay

Another one here who gets 6 months full pay, 6 month half.

I'm public sector HR and we would send a notification letter around a month before notifying the drop to half pay.

I'd challenge that and your TUPE terms, although just to check you haven't signed revised terms since have you? (For example been promoted or seconded or moved jobs, you're in the exact same job that got TUPE'd over?)

Are you in a Union? If HR are no use can you speak to a Union Rep?. When I worked it was usual for employees to be notified in writing when sick pay was due to reduce. Full pay was often extended in cases of hardship. Six months full pay & six at half was standard. Do you have a copy of your T&C's?

In this case it's sounding like they haven't applied legacy terms to your leave.

Dig your contract out and have a read.

Thanks for everyone who helped - the main issue is the time before tigger of half pay and then the letting me know.

Without sounding dramatic, I don't need this when I am depressed and supporting my DM

I’m civil service and staff usually get a letter before it goes to half pay. I’d call HR as they can tell you exactly why you’re on half pay. You should have been entitled to 5 days special leave for the loss of your father. I’d ask for one of those weeks sick to be removed and add in special.

Also ask your manager to check if they’ve closed your sick as we had this happen to someone once. It was still open and they’d returned months prior. Also ask her to check your absences and make sure they were recorded correctly.

I don't know why people are convinced 6 months full pay is unusual. That's what it is in my current hob after 5 years' service (public sector) and the same in my last job it a large corporate.

It sounds like they've got your terms recorded incorrectly and it needs correcting.

We do send letters when someone's about to go to half pay and it's amazing how many are fit for work again on the exact day but I don't think it's a requirement.

Have you had more sick leave in the last 4 years? Typical civil service policy includes a 4 year rule as well as a 6 months rule.

Otherwise it sounds like a mix up and I'd make an enquiry- reminding them you are on legacy terms.

But you don't normally get advance warning you are reaching the limit.

Condolences for your loss. Last thing anyone needs is admin and worry when grieving.

We would always notify an employee who was due to go to half pay. Agree many then make a magical recovery. It frustrates me as I think it is a good policy for those who really need it but it is exploited.

I would query it with HR and also the failure to advise you. You could also talk to ACAS?

Your firm's sickness policy should be on your contract, of employment. I don't think they need to inform you that you are going down to half pay. A lot of firms do offer 6 months sick leave before going on to half pay.

Trouble is the OP isn’t in the civil service now and the private company won’t always remember that they have TUPE’d staff on different terms.

In over 20 years in HR I’ve never seen a contract that says anything but referring the employee to the sickness absence policy.

I can't answer the pay question but I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your dad and there's nothing unusual about the amount of time you were signed off afterwards. Losing your dad is a once in a lifetime event and 6 weeks is nothing.

It's also normal for employers to suggest being signed off after a bereavement if you've exhausted compassionate leave.

The poster putting the boot in based on their extremely tiny pool of anecdata was cruel and unnecessary.

https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/bereaved-family-friends/work/employee-resources/bereavement-time-off#deciding

Oh I see. Yes, that would be difficult then.

Thank you very much - he was so lovely and I miss him so much

I had six weeks off when my dad was dying (anticipatory grief is horrible) and then died - everyone is different. Ignore the people who are questioning this.

You should have been notified about going to half pay for the sickness. It doesn’t sound like you’ve had six months off in the rolling year so you’re right to raise this as a mistake under your legacy conditions. Hope they sort it quickly.

I was local government so likely same, 6 months at full pay and 6 months at half pay (how they work out 'a month,' is a bit weird though). Just go back and tell them they've got it wrong and you want it sorting out within a few days.
I worked in HR for decades, never once reduced pay without first telephoning the person and confirming by letter (would be email now).

You are entitled to see your terms if employment ... just ask HR to email them to you.