sick pay

Re: sick pay

Dippy — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:57:15 GMT

[quote user="Sal the 1st"]

I didnt qualify because I was a single person living alone.

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Ditto! Also worth asking abour rent rebate/council tax rebate etc as if you are on SSP, even only for a couple of weeks, i presume that may be similar to being on sickness benefits long term where you qaulify for all sorts of other bits and bobs. As Sal says, I'd check as the worst they can say is no. It usually takes ages to get any sort of rebates back in my experience but if it comes back eventually, it's still better than nothing. If you have a mortgage rather than rent, maybe ask your bank whether you could have amonth's break if you know for sure that that's all it will be and not an ongoing thing.

Re: sick pay

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:50:17 GMT

[quote user="Dippy"]

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]

Having said that most practices pay 5 days full pay then ssp

[/quote]

I'd say you've been lucky in previous practices Fuzzyduck - I've never had sick pay and have worked for numerous practices over the last 20+ years so it really is the luck of the draw.

[/quote]

not the ones I have worked at either sorry to say.

If you are signed off work for a prolonged period and you are in receipt of SSP, you are employed and are receiving no other support for that period you may qualify for help towards heating costs especially if there is a dependant child or another dependant non wage earning adult in the house - or at least this was the case a couple of years ago and I know this because I found myself having to apply for help. OK it might not be much but it still might be worth asking at the CAB? and when times is hard its worth accepting any help however little it might be. I didnt qualify because I was a single person living alone.

Re: sick pay

Vicky RVN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:40:09 GMT

I've not yet worked at a practice that pays for sick days. My first practice took it from holiday allowance, no choice about it.

Re: sick pay

Dippy — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:29:37 GMT

[quote user="Fuzzyduck"]

Having said that most practices pay 5 days full pay then ssp

[/quote]

I'd say you've been lucky in previous practices Fuzzyduck - I've never had sick pay and have worked for numerous practices over the last 20+ years so it really is the luck of the draw.

Re: sick pay

Fuzzyduck — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 22:05:20 GMT

If your practice only pays statutory sick pay then all you will get is about £81 a week, it wont get made up to your full pay by anyone else.

I was off sick for 3 weeks last year and got SSP for those 3 weeks so my pay was down about £900 for that month! It was a massive struggle.

Having said that most practices pay 5 days full pay then ssp so if you havnt been off sick any other days this year then you'll get your holiday pay for one week and your sick pay the other week so you shouldnt be down any money, but it depends on your individual practice as they dont have to pay you anything more than statutory sick pay.

Re: sick pay

Gemma Burden RVN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:18:25 GMT

This is the problem one of the nurses I used to work with ended up facing. She had post viral fatigue, and as there was no way that she could afford to live on statutory sick pay, ended up taking the rest of the holiday she had to cover time she was going to have to taken off, and as we could have 10 days a year off sick, she worked out a deal with our boss so that she worked half days and took the rest of the day as sick, meaning that seh could try and get as much rest as possible without having to go onto sick pay. One positive thing about it though is at least we are better off than the self employed who don't get anything if they are ill. A client at workwho was a self employed builder fell through a roof and had multiple broken bones that needed pinning etc and was unable to get a penny to support him during the time he was unable to work.

Re: sick pay

Dippy — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:15:38 GMT

You're lucky they've allowed you to use holiday before as I've worked in places where that wasn't allowed on the basis that technically you weren't then logged as off sick so if you took the p*** in terms of sick leave, they didn't have accurate legal records!

I totally agree, the system does suck and none of my family or pals can believe that everywhere I've worked has had a no sick pay policy as they've all been spolied working for in the public sector, NHS and large corporations etc where they got about 6mths on full pay! I guess that's the difference between small businesses though as they often have to pay overtime to others or locums to cover when it's part of a small team missing.

The other thing I'd be careful about is handing in a sick note stating you're not fit to work for two weeks and then trying to return sooner as they may say you wouldn't be insured if a dr has said you're not fit. Don't wish to worry you more but just giving you the heads up in case your boss is particularly into HR policies etc. If you plan to return sooner, see whether you can get your note changed to one week and then be reassessed so that it keeps your options open.

Re: sick pay

Steph Worsley — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:14:06 GMT

As everyone else has said it all depends on your practice policy and what is in your contract. If they do not pay sick pay then first 3 days you get £0.00 and then after that you get SSP alone.

Some places will pay full py up to 3 or 5 days then go to SSP alone

Some places will be kind enoughto carry on paying you, I am lucky where I am that we get x months full pay, x months 1/2 pay then SSP (x depends on length of service) all on a rolling thing, for example I am going to be havig arthroscopy in 2 weeks so what ever sick time I have had in the 12 months up to that point will be counted in my full pay so say I'm entitled to 3 months full and I've already taken 10 weeks, that means I will get 2 weeks full pay and then go to 1/2 pay if I need longer off.

The first time I had surgery we didn't really have a policy it was on a case by case basis and I was lucky that I got 4 weeks full pay (especially as I was working my notice as well at that point!)

So spek to your practice and see what they say, it's always worth getting a copy of their policy in writing so you can always go back to it if unsure/there's a dispute

Re: sick pay

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:13:54 GMT

maybe so but then if you think about it is it fair for your employer to have to pay a full wage when they may have had to pay overtime or extra wages to other nurses to cover your hours? I am sorry not wanting to make you feel worse but just seeing it from both sides. I know it can be really tough to manage and very worrying when this happens - I have been there. Maybe you could get in touch with CAB and see if they are able to suggest any other assistance you may be entitled to

Re: sick pay

FINNIGAN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 21:07:21 GMT

it doesnt say anything about sick pay, and we dont get paid if off sick, if ive had time off before, very rarely, i used my holiday for it,, how is someone supposed to live if this is so, i was ill and was hospitalised so out of my controll, iv got a sick note to be off for a furthr 2 weeks, as i am not fit to work, but will have to return way before this to be able to be paid properly, think this is so bad!!!

Re: sick pay

Dippy — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:59:44 GMT

The only time I've ever been off for a long period of time, I just got ssp at the rate quoted (or less as it was some years ago) and nothing else. I worked for a company whose policy was not to pay sick pay though so that was all I was entitled to and got nothing at all for the first few days until the ssp kicked in and yes, it left me in a hell of a mess finacially.

However, if your company policy is that you still get paid when you are off sick, I would imagine that they would make up the difference between ssp and normal salary. It really all comes down to whether or not your contract says you get paid if you're off sick. Have you been paid for odd days if off sick in the past or haven't you ever been off before? Perhaps one of your colleagues could tell you whether they've been paid if they've been off sick but it should state the policy in your contract or practice handbook, assuming you have one?

Re: sick pay

FINNIGAN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:49:20 GMT

ive looked up ssp rate it says £81. 90. does that mean thats all ill get, does the employer not make up the rest, il be in trouble if thats so,

Re: sick pay

Sal the 1st — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:23:11 GMT

speak to your boss or head nurse on this. A lot will depend on what you have written into your contract. Some practices will make the wage up for a given period of illness in one year. I know where I have worked before the practice paid you what you would be entitled to as SSP - which isnt a full wage and if I recall correctly there was no SSP for the first 3 days of an illness.

Re: sick pay

FINNIGAN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:17:32 GMT

Have looked on the gov,co work, web site didnt find it very helpfull, do i get sick pay and wage , which makes my wage up to normal rate, if you get what i mean, so say i earn 400 a week, will i still get this amount or will it mean i get a lot deducted???? does ssp and my boss make it up to the same amount, im sooo confused and worried im going to lose out, im the only bread winner in my house, and have to pay reny etc, so a little stressed

Re: sick pay

Gemma Burden RVN — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 17:17:08 GMT

From what I have understood from other nurses I have worked with that have had to have a reasonable amount of time off due to illness, it does seem to depend on the invididual employers policies. Some places don't pay sick leave at all until you have had so many days off then put you on statutory sick pay, others will pay you for so many days, then you have to go onto statutory sick pay. With my employers I would get paided as normal for 5 days, then have to get a doctors note and go onto statutory sick pay. I might be wrong on this or have been told the wrong thing, but this is what I have understood from others that have had to go onto sick pay.

Re: sick pay

F1chick — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:54:44 GMT

I think it depends on practice policy. You can sometimes get paid as if you were there or sometimes employers will just pay statutory sick pay (SSP) which is usually much lower than your salery.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_175843

Check with your practice manager or boss to clarify. :)