Career Break

Mupette

Hi,

I need some adice.

I will be taking a career break from June 30th to either January 2018 or February.

Reason is I will be having a operation, basically HSCT, stem cell transplant.

Will i be able to get ESA for that time period.

My employers do, do long term sick pay but they consider 1 month long term. And decided that i needed to do the career break option.

The only thing they will keep running is length of service for me. They will not be paying me whilst I am out.

pmlindyloo

Mupette wrote: »

Hi,

I need some adice.

I will be taking a career break from June 30th to either January 2018 or February.

Reason is I will be having a operation, basically HSCT, stem cell transplant.

Will i be able to get ESA for that time period.

My employers do, do long term sick pay but they consider 1 month long term. And decided that i needed to do the career break option.

This doesn't sound right to me.


The only thing they will keep running is length of service for me. They will not be paying me whilst I am out.

This doesn't sound right to me.

Have you got an employment contract? They should be paying, at the minimum, SSP for 28 weeks if there is no contractual sickness pay. I do not think they can decide not to pay you SSP if you produce a fit note from your doctor.

Check out this link:

https://www.gov.uk/statutory-sick-pay/overview

Personally I would be taking my contract to CAB and asking them for some help with this.

Mupette

I will check with our employee services. But I have in the past four years had a HUGE amount of sick off and they can not tell me how much i have left, believe me i have tried asking before.

So just in case its a no, is the above post possible?

pmlindyloo

You do need to speak to your employer and find out what your position is.

Are you still being employed or are they dismissing you?

If you are still employed then they will have to issue a SSP1 form (copy here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/423808/ssp1-may-2015.pdf

to say why they will not be paying you SSP (you seem to indicate that you have multiple time off being paid which could be linked).

You will need this when you apply for ESA if you are still employed plus a fit note from your doctor.

If they are dismissing you then you can just apply for ESA with a fit note from your doctor.

Mupette

I'm still employed.

I need to stop working in June for the operation in August (I work in a call centre - and need to be infection / viral free)

The proposal is that as it is long term rather than sick leave for a few weeks they have taken the decision to place me on Career break. I will receive no pay at all. I will be able to return to my job in Jan/Feb next year.

So if my employers will not do the sick pay then a SSP1 is required, which I know makes my life easier, my GP will happily give me a fit note for a few months as he knows all about stem cell transplant and the recovery period (at least 2 months keeping away from everyone whilst my new immune system grows)

Guest101

get this in writing.


Employers should realistically be going down the dismissed due to capability route. Better for everyone.

[Deleted User]

Guest101 wrote: »

get this in writing.


Employers should realistically be going down the dismissed due to capability route. Better for everyone.

How is being dismissed better than still having a job? Sounds like they've reached a good agreement already that keeps the OP employed.

Guest101

_shel wrote: »

How is being dismissed better than still having a job? Sounds like they've reached a good agreement already that keeps the OP employed.

Where is the benefit of this 'employment'?

teddysmum

Guest101 wrote: »

Where is the benefit of this 'employment'?

They have a job to return to when they are well enough.


Surely a job, if capable of doing it, is better than a life on benefits ?

[Deleted User]

Come next January there will be obvious benefit when they are back in work getting paid.

Guest101

teddysmum wrote: »

They have a job to return to when they are well enough.


Surely a job, if capable of doing it, is better than a life on benefits ?

I said she should get this in writing, because what tends to happen is the employer 'wants' to help, until they realise the implications, and then things kick off. It's perfectly possible to have a legitimate career break, but get it in writing.


The job will obviously be filled for 8-10 months, what if they prefer the new person?