Online Solicitor

Although different companies will allow different amounts of sick pay for their employees, they cannot legally offer employees less than Statutory Sick Pay. Refusal to pay sick pay when it is due is the equivalent of not paying wages; to avoid Employment Tribunals, it is important that both employers and employees understand the law regarding sick pay.

If an employee has to take time off work because they are ill, they may be entitled to sick pay. Depending on the specific employment details, this can be either basic statutory sick pay or a special rate of company, occupational or contractual sick pay. By law, there is no certain amount of extra company sick pay to which employees are entitled, other than the basic statutory rate and however much is explicitly stated in the contract. Statutory sick pay is the right of all employees and the legal minimum amount of sick pay they must receive. Please note, however, that companies are not required by law to provide sick pay to an employee who takes time off to care for a sick dependent.

The amount of sick pay to which an employee is entitled doesn’t normally vary depending with the cause of or reason behind the illness. However, in the case of injuries suffered in the workplace or work-related sickness, there may be special policies in place which should be stated in the employment contract. Employees can also make personal injuries claims if their employer is responsible for their inability to work.