I've just found out that my company will only pay SSP if I'm off sick for more than 12 days a year....

[LaCerbiatta]

I suppose that it's expected for a tight unfrienfdly company like mine, in a normal situation.... But for pregnant women as well???? Let's say I had placenta previa or extreme sickness or something like that, I would be on ~£80 a week??? How can that be allowed??

Are you getting confused between SSP and Company sick pay.

Loads of companies only pay SSP which kicks in after 3 days and is a small set amount per week.

Nothing unusual there.

Thats is quite a good deal getting company sick pay for up to 12 days.

Many companies pay nothing at all except SSP which only kicks in after 3 days.

No company HAS to pay sick pay. If you have a contract where they say they will, brilliant. Most employees will be paid statutory sick pay. This means after the 3rd day of illness, you will get the government statutory sick pay amount. You have 3 "waiting" days before you qualify for the SSP, so any sick pay will not kick in until the 4th day. Not a lot to live on I agree.

Which is why I have taken out insurance against long term illness.

I suppose I'm still spoiled, coming from an extremly generous University employer into the private sector...
It just infuriates me because they're big and rich and could definitely afford to be more giving... WOuldn't moan if it was a one-employee corner shop....

They may be big and rich partly BECAUSE they don't have generous company sick pay! Not saying it's necessarily right/fair but it is the norm in many companies. My dh used to work for a very big, American investment bank and they only allowed 5 days sick per year before you went onto SSP.

12 days full sick pay is good compared to lots of places, 12 days would cover most people easily.

Ok, ok, maybe IABU....
My attitude towards their benefits is ver bitter, specially since I'm only getting SMP after being here for 2 years... But that's a different issue...

Thank you all for your comments!

2 years is not a long time to work for a company so not sure why you're bitter with regards to only getting SMP.

Many companies only pay SMP, if they offer enhanced pay plus have to pay for a replacement the wage cost increases substantially.

I have been with my company for 5 years. I get SMP and no sick pay.

To put another slant on it, it would also be a minefield to offer pregnant women more sick pay than other employees. It could engender a lot of bad feeling in employers with strict policies on sick pay...