Sick pay and sickness absence

Statutory Sick Pay

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is a legal minimum paid by employers to eligible employees who are off sick, for a limited period. Many employers offer more generous contractual sick pay on top of, or instead of, SSP, so always check your contract or staff handbook.

Disability-related absence

Absence connected to a disability is sometimes treated differently from general sickness absence under an employer's policy, for example by discounting some disability-related absence from a trigger-point system. This is a reasonable adjustment some employers make, though it is not automatic, so it is worth asking about your employer's policy.

Keeping in touch during absence

• Employers can usually make reasonable contact during sickness absence
• You can ask for a preferred method and frequency of contact
• A return-to-work meeting is common practice, not a sign of a problem

Checklist

• Check your contract or staff handbook for your employer's sick pay scheme
• Ask whether disability-related absence is recorded separately from other sickness absence
• Keep your own simple record of dates and reasons for absence

Where to get help

• GOV.UK

  Statutory Sick Pay eligibility and rates

  GOV.UK website (opens the official website)

• Acas

  Managing and understanding sickness absence

  Acas website (opens the official website)