SSP query

Little_miss_dfw

I only work one day a week. 12 hours as I’m a carer.
Last year I broke a bone and had a fit note. I had to go back to work early as I didn’t get any sick pay.

If I only work one day a week do I need to be off for 3 of my working days (so 3 weeks) before I’m entitled to sick pay on week 4? or is it after the 3 rd consecutive day off?

So say I work Monday then Tuesday and Wednesday are not my work days so they still count and I get sick pay for the following Monday?

itsthelittlethings

I think the three waiting days is being abolished very soon. Then you will get £123 a week or 80% of your normal wages, whatever is the lower. Not exactly sure when that’s coming in, I think April this year.

Brie

the gov.uk site says:

To qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) you must:

• be classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer
• earn an average of at least £125 per week
• have been ill for more than 3 days in a row (including non-working days)

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) : Eligibility - GOV.UK

So if you work on Mondays only you would be paid SSP the second Monday.

This is abolished as of 6 April this year as noted by @itsthelittlethings

Altior

Something on the benefits board I can help with! Under existing rules it's 3 days' waiting.

So you won't get ssp for the first three days you would have worked.

If you only work one day a week, that means it will be the fourth week.

Eligibility shouldn't be confused with qualifying days. For example, someone who works full time and their first qualifying day is Friday, they won't get SSP until the following Wednesday (Fri, Mon, Tues are the qualifying days).

Altior

For payroll it can be relatively complicated at times, but from an employee perspective, a simple rule of thumb is you won't get ssp until you have missed three days that you would have been paid for working, otherwise.

If it wasn't like that, an awful lot of people would have been ill over a period that included the weekend. Ahem.

sheramber

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81929957#Comment_81929957

check the above post with a link to gov.uk. Note the bolded part

the gov.uk site says:

To qualify for Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) you must:

• be classed as an employee and have done some work for your employer
• earn an average of at least £125 per week
• have been ill for more than 3 days in a row (including non-working days)

Altior

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81930050#Comment_81930050

Check the link to ACAS:

When statutory sick pay is paid

If a worker is eligible, they are entitled to statutory sick pay for the days they would have worked, except for the first 3.

The days they would have worked are called 'qualifying days'. The first 3 qualifying days are called 'waiting days'.

If the worker does not have a regular pattern of work, the employer should agree with them which days count as qualifying days.

For example, a worker who works Monday to Friday is sick before work on Thursday. By Monday they have been sick for 4 days so are eligible for statutory sick pay. As they do not work weekends, their waiting days are Thursday, Friday and Monday. So the employer must pay statutory sick pay from Tuesday onwards.

Altior

Let's say the OP works every Monday. They first call in sick on Monday 1st. They are eligible for SSP from the Thursday (4th). But only Mondays are qualifying days, as for them it's the only days they would have worked. Four Mondays after the first day of absence (29th), they will have completed their three qualifying days, and the employer must pay SSP from that Monday (if they have the requisite fit note).

itsthelittlethings

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81930072#Comment_81930072

The government website says the three days includes non working days, so it would be the second Monday. I think you’re misinterpreting the guidance you’re quoting.

The waiting period will be gone very soon.

itsthelittlethings

Or the ACAS guidance is wrong.

Altior

I signed off payroll for SSP as a finance manager for multiple years. Including multiple, minimum wage PT staff.

As I mentioned above, there is a confusion here between eligibility and qualifying days. You're eligible on the fourth day of absence. But you don't qualify for a payment until the fourth day that you would have worked. They are two different variables.

Effectively, if there is a fit note involved, you're eligible for a ssp payment from day 4 of the fit note. But you don't qualify until three days have passed that you would have worked on otherwise. Payment is from day four that you would have worked.