No sick pay - unusual?

littlewren

Is it unusual for companies not to pay out sick pay? My daughter has applied for a job with a high street opticians but during the interview she was told they didn't offer sick pay. My daughter has never thrown a sickie and has only taken time off when she's been really poorly (i.e. she had to have 3 weeks off following a tonsillectomy) but it's a bit worrying to think that if she was offered the job and was off sick at some point, she wouldn't receive sick pay. My other daughter, in contrast, receives 42 sick days a year (but is also very good and tends to go in even when she's feeling poorly).

Any thoughts please?

SarEl

It's quite common for many employers to offer SSP (the legal minimum) only.

paddedjohn

a lot of places dont offer sick pay apart from ssp unfortunately but if she could get into the public sector then thats another matter.

elsien

A relative stopped offering sick pay when staff decided that it was a right to take all of it. They had people saying to them "I haven't taken my x days sick pay this year, can I take it as leave instead?" It does seem unfair when people are genuinely ill though.

ceridwen

It doesnt seem to be at all uncommon unfortunately for employers not to pay sick pay - as SarEl says.

What she could do is get herself insured against illness. I know that self-employed people can do this - by going to a Friendly Society for instance (eg Royal Order of Forresters - think I remembered the name correctly??). I would imagine employed people could do the same.

If I had an employer that only paid SSP if ill - then I might not bother if I were young (ie a fitter agegroup and no expectation whatsoever of ever being ill). Once one reaches middle age though - then it is wise to make sure one is covered just in case.

As I said - I dont know if these organisations provide "sick pay insurance" for the employed - but there's only one way to find out - ie ask them. I would imagine they would charge less to employed than they would to the self-employed (as there wouldnt be the need to replace the whole income - only that bit over and above SSP level).

Uncertain

I agree.

In my view, company sick pay (if offered) is an additional benefit as it is in effect a form of insurance.

As ceridwen says, it is possible to buy insurance privately and many self employed people do just that.

What I do object to (and I think should be made illegal) is for firms to offer "discretionary" sick pay. In other words, we might pay you if your face fits! This leads to all kinds of unfairness and uncertainty. Obviously a firm can lay down terms and conditions, just like an insurance policy, but if those conditions are complied with then that should be the end of the matter.

persa

I always thought it was standard to get sick pay in the private sector, unless perhaps it was a NMW job. However, my current employer doesn't offer this!

I was a bit taken back at first, but on reflection, I've never taken off more than a couple of sick days in any one year and I've previously worked with some people who have rung in (or texted in!:eek:) sick as a matter of course, whenever they've fancied a few ad hoc days off. I feel the greater injustice is them getting away with it, than it is for me to not get a paid sick day off once in a blue moon.

GGLLOYD

littlewren wrote: »

Is it unusual for companies not to pay out sick pay? My daughter has applied for a job with a high street opticians but during the interview she was told they didn't offer sick pay. My daughter has never thrown a sickie and has only taken time off when she's been really poorly (i.e. she had to have 3 weeks off following a tonsillectomy) but it's a bit worrying to think that if she was offered the job and was off sick at some point, she wouldn't receive sick pay. My other daughter, in contrast, receives 42 sick days a year (but is also very good and tends to go in even when she's feeling poorly).

Any thoughts please?

Not all companies have a sick pay policy. However the company would be required to pay SSP providing the employees average weekly earnings are at or exceed the LEL (Lower earnings limit) which is currently £102.00 per week.

She can self certify her first 7 days of sickness, after this she would need to provide medical evidence/doctors sick note - If she doesn't the company are entitled to withhold the SSP until she provides her sick note(s).

SSP is current paid at £81.60 per week.

nearlyrich

I know a lot of companies who only pay SSP even for high earners on commission based sales jobs, I have previously worked in public sector roles where people took their sick days as if it was extra leave they were entitled to.... my job comes with sick pay but there are restrictions on new starters so in the first year you could only take 5 working days paid sick leave. I used to work for a company with a discretionary sick pay policy I always got paid for any time off, even for a three month recovery for an op however the regular Monday morning stomach bug brigade didn't get paid which seems fair to me as they were spending the weekends binge drinking.

littlewren

What a lot of very helpful and interesting answers! Many thanks to you all, I will show my daughter this page to read.

paulwf

Another option to proper insurance is "self insuring" i.e. putting a couple of hundred aside to cover short term sickness. I have staff that spend their pay as soon as they get it, I keep telling them to put £50 aside when they have a good week to build up a little pot but they always end up not knowing what to do if they are sick for a couple of days and get less pay that week.