Part time work and sick pay

seasnake100

Hi, Please can anyone help me as i'm muddled with this one.

I live with my husband and 2 kids and work part time which does vary in hours but has settled more recently at approx 13 hours a week earning about £82 per week and have been with company 3 years.

I have to have an operation at beginning of march which means I will be off work for at least 2 or 4 weeks depending on how operation goes.

My boss seems to think I will be entitled to SSP which I do not think is correct. I tried to ring payroll but only got a vague answer as the main lady is on holiday. As far as i'm aware there is no company sick pay so I assume that means we will have to be without my money. Though I have just been looking at ESA and am even more confused now.

I have 1 weeks holiday left and was due to take that next week but if i'm not entitled to sick pay then I guess I would be better trying to change that week to whilst i'm ill.

If you can advise me i'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

fluffybunnies

From my understanding entitlement to SSP is based upon NI contributions, when i was off sick from work for 2 weeks due to a neck injury i didn't receive any sick pay, resulting in me having to get an overdraft just so that i could pay my rent that month! It was unexpected for me as i had received sick pay before (presumably from the company i work for) and had no idea that i would end up not getting paid at all, when i asked my manager he said that my company sick pay for this year had obviously run out and that if i was entitled to SSP that would have been paid automatically.

Just to add, i also work 13 hours a week.

Obv, i don't know if will be different for you or what the actual rules are. I would suggest asking at CAB and if you are concerned about the drop in income to ask if you can take your holiday as part of the recovery period.

I'm not aware that you would be entitled to ESA for time off sick, although i do not know much about this benefit.

I hope your operation goes well.