Guilt about sick leave

lulu_92

Thank you everyone. I emailed work today to self certify, and their reaction was okay, but they've told me that after this seven days I will only get SSP, when I read my contract as 4 weeks full pay. Turns out another clause in my contract is that they can take that away if it is a mental health issue. So now I am feeling worse because I only went to the doctors in the first place because i thought I had that security as i dont feel a week will be enough, especially as I will only have had one counselling session by then. Lesson learned that I need to read everything, but I'm regretting following doctors orders now.

TELLIT01

Giving staff less sick pay if they are off with mental health issues is disgusting, but presumably legal if they have actually been willing to put that into the contract in writing. As most employer sick pay is discretionary anyway, they could have given only SSP anyway if they so chose.

jobbingmusician

I don't know - I'd be on the phone to the Mind helpline to check that this IS actually legal. (I mean it, I really don't know, but every atom of my being revolts at the idea that someone signed off by a doctor for MH issues should routinely be paid less than someone with a physical illness.)

Masomnia

Sounds discriminatory to me.

Are you sure it says that?

Company sick pay is usually discretionary anyway.

Hope you feel better soon.

LilElvis

Perhaps the employer has been "bitten" in the past by employees abusing discretionary sick pay? It only takes one bad experience to colour an employer's view, fair or not.

lulu_92

Masomnia wrote: »

Sounds discriminatory to me.

Are you sure it says that?

Company sick pay is usually discretionary anyway.

Hope you feel better soon.

It says that subject to a certain clause that the employee is entitled to up to 4 weeks full pay for sickness. the certain clause says something about if the employee "is not of sound mind or under any statute of mental health" so that's how i interpreted it. this contract is full of unnecessary legalese to be honest.

So today I woke up feeling like I can't breathe and I don't feel like I can properly function, so I'm going to go on a walk to get some fresh air and hopefully the counsellor rings today to get my appointment sorted. I hate feeling like this and I can't wait to feel an improvement, but the way work have responded has made me feel like I have to rush my recovery.

lulu_92

jobbingmusician wrote: »

I don't know - I'd be on the phone to the Mind helpline to check that this IS actually legal. (I mean it, I really don't know, but every atom of my being revolts at the idea that someone signed off by a doctor for MH issues should routinely be paid less than someone with a physical illness.)

I'm of the opinion that it must be legal or else why would they risk it by putting it in writing. I'm going to ring Mind today.

LilElvis

lulu_92 wrote: »

I'm of the opinion that it must be legal or else why would they risk it by putting it in writing. I'm going to ring Mind today.

I would ring your HR department first and ask them what that phrase in the policy actually means. It may be that you are worrying needlessly.

Takeaway_Addict

Masomnia wrote: »

Sounds discriminatory to me.

Are you sure it says that?

Company sick pay is usually discretionary anyway.

Hope you feel better soon.

It is discriminatory, the difference is whether it is discriminatory in a way that the company aren't permitted to do so.


I'd say they are skating on very thing ground

lulu_92

LilElvis wrote: »

I would ring your HR department first and ask them what that phrase in the policy actually means. It may be that you are worrying needlessly.

I dont even know who our HR person is. I work from home so I've only ever met three members of staff.

I dont think im worrying needlessly as it must be something to do with that as it specifies 4 weeks but they're offering 25% of that? There's no mention of length of service either as i was wondering if it was that (been there 7 months) but it only mentions the 3 month probation period which I passed.