- You must be working for your employer with a
proper contract of service - contract of employment. If this is
the case, from day 1 - you are entitled to SSP if you are unable
to work because of any sickness problem.
- You must be sick for at least 4 consecutive
days - this included weekends and bank holidays. So if you 'go
sick on the Friday, then the Saturday and Sunday also count as
consecutive days.
- Your gross income for the previous 8 weeks,
will have to averaged £90.00 per week. If you have just started
your job, then your employer will explain to you how the
calculation is made. There may be a slight difference of the 8
week timing, dependent upon whether you are paid weekly or
monthly.
- If you have two jobs - or maybe three (!) you
may be entitled to SSP at each job - depends upon your contract.
- You cannot get sacked by your employer
because you claim SSP.
BUT!
- If you are sick whilst on strike because of a
union strike, you will not get Statutory Sick Pay.
- If you are in jail - or otherwise detained in
legal custody, you will not get SSP
How do I get SSP?
SSP is paid on a daily basis, and paid for the days you would
normally work. This may include some weekend days if that is part of
your contract of employment. It is NOT paid for the first three days
of any absence from working. If you are off work for two periods of
more than four days in any eight weeks, then there is no 'waiting
period' for the second period of sickness.
Rate of SSP
From April 6th 2008 to 5th April 2009, the weekly rate of Statutory
Sick Pay (SSP benefits) is set at £75.40. It will be worked out by
your employer on a daily basis - taking into account your normal
working days in the week. The week starts on Sundays for SSP.
Claiming
- Tell your employer that you are sick and
unable to work, as soon as possible.
- Your employer may have rules - set out in
your contract of employment - on how you are to tell them. For
instance, it may be by telephone, or perhaps in writing. Find
out from your employer as soon as possible how you should notify
of absence of work through sickness.
- You do NOT have to tell your employer in
person - ie by turning up.
- You do not have to use a special form
supplied by your employer, nor do you have to have a 'special'
sick certificate that says so.
- You do not have to tell your employer more
than once in any week, that you are still sick.
For the first seven days, you do not need a sick note from your
doctor. However, you may have to fill in a 'self certification
of sickness' from your employer.
- Do not leave it for seven days before your
first tell your employer, or you may not get paid SSP.
Payment
You will get your SSP in your normal wages packet - either monthly
or weekly, depending upon how you are paid.
Important notes for Claiming SSP
- Your employer has the right to decide whether
you are unable to work because of sickness. They will normally
be careful about claiming that you should work, because of the
consequences of anything going wrong! If you have a doctor's
sick note, then they are very unlikely to say that you should
work! It may be that your incapacity is because of a dental
problem - your dentist can provide you with a sick note - you
will have to pay.
- If you have been getting ESA - Employment
Support Allowance - at any time within 12 weeks of being sick,
they you will not get SSP. You can reclaim Employment Support
Allowance.
- If your employer has their own sickness
scheme, and it is greater than SSP, then you cannot claim for
SSP.
- If you are hospitalised, then you still get
SSP
- Further advice - in the case of disputes etc
relating to SSP - can be got here ............
HM Revenue & Customs employee helpline 0845 302 1479
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