Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is a payment made by employers to employees who are unable to work due to illness or injury. It is a legal requirement for employers to provide SSP to eligible employees, and the amount paid is set by the government. One common question that arises is, “when does statutory sick pay start?”
SSP starts on the fourth consecutive day that an employee is off work due to illness. This is known as the “qualifying period.” During this qualifying period, employees are not entitled to SSP and may only receive sick pay from their employer if it is part of their contract. It is important to note that the qualifying period starts on the first day that an employee is unable to work, but SSP is not payable until the fourth day.
There are, however, some exceptions to this rule. If an employee has been off work due to illness for a period of four or more days within a rolling 8-week period, they may be able to start receiving SSP from the first day of their absence. This is known as the “linked periods” rule, and it is designed to prevent employees from missing out on SSP if they have a pattern of short-term absences due to illness.
It is also worth noting that SSP is not paid for the first three days of absence, known as “waiting days.” These waiting days are not payable by employers, and employees will not receive any sick pay for this period. SSP will only start to be paid from the fourth day of absence onwards.
In order to qualify for SSP, employees must meet certain eligibility criteria. They must earn at least £120 per week on average, have been off work for at least four days in a row (including non-working days), and have notified their employer of their sickness within the designated timeframe. Employees must also provide their employer with proof of sickness, such as a doctor’s note, if required.
Employers are responsible for ensuring that they pay SSP to eligible employees and can be fined if they fail to do so. The current rate of SSP is £96.35 per week, and it is paid in the same way as wages, subject to deductions for tax and National Insurance contributions.
Employees who are not eligible for SSP may be able to claim other benefits, such as statutory sick pay or Universal Credit, depending on their circumstances. It is important for employees to check their entitlement to benefits if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.
In some cases, employers may offer their employees a more generous sick pay scheme than SSP. This can include paying full or half pay for a certain period of time, or providing additional benefits such as private medical insurance. Employers are not required to offer sick pay over and above SSP, but many choose to do so as part of their employee benefits package.
In conclusion, statutory sick pay starts on the fourth consecutive day of absence due to illness, known as the qualifying period. Employees may be able to start receiving SSP from the first day of their absence if they have had four or more days off within a rolling 8-week period. SSP is not payable for the first three days of absence, and employees must meet certain eligibility criteria to qualify for SSP. Employers are responsible for paying SSP to eligible employees and can face fines if they fail to do so. It is important for employees to understand their entitlement to SSP and other benefits if they are unable to work due to illness or injury.