When an employee falls ill or is otherwise unable to work due to sickness, they may be entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from their employer SSP is a form of financial support provided by employers to employees who are unable to work due to illness However, there are specific rules and guidelines in place determining when SSP can begin to be paid to an employee.
The first important factor to consider is the length of time an employee has been off work due to sickness In order for an employee to be eligible for SSP, they must have been off work for at least four consecutive days, including non-working days such as weekends This means that if an employee only takes one or two days off sick, they will not be entitled to SSP.
Once an employee has been off work due to sickness for four days, they are then eligible to receive SSP from their employer However, SSP will not be paid for the first three days of sickness absence, known as ‘waiting days’ This means that SSP will start on the fourth day of sickness absence It is important to note that waiting days do not need to be consecutive, but must occur within a period of eight weeks.
In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria regarding the length of sickness absence, an employee must also earn at least £120 per week to qualify for SSP This earnings threshold applies to all employees, regardless of their hours worked or employment status If an employee earns less than £120 per week, they will not be entitled to SSP from their employer.
It is also worth noting that employees are only entitled to receive SSP for a maximum of 28 weeks in any three-year period when does statutory sick pay start. This means that if an employee has already received SSP for 28 weeks within the past three years, they will not be eligible for further SSP until the three-year period has elapsed.
Employers have a legal obligation to pay SSP to eligible employees, and the current rate of SSP is £96.35 per week SSP is paid in the same way as wages, either weekly or monthly, and is subject to deductions for tax and National Insurance contributions in the same way as regular pay.
Employers can reclaim a proportion of SSP paid to employees by using the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme This scheme allows employers to recover up to two weeks of SSP paid to employees who have been off work due to sickness for at least four days in a row Employers must keep records of SSP payments made to employees in order to claim back this money from the government.
In some cases, employees may be entitled to additional sick pay benefits from their employer on top of SSP These additional benefits may include contractual sick pay, occupational sick pay, or other forms of sick pay provided by the employer’s sickness absence policy.
It is important for both employees and employers to be aware of the rules and guidelines surrounding SSP in order to ensure that employees receive the financial support they are entitled to when they are unable to work due to sickness By understanding when SSP starts and how it is paid, both employees and employers can navigate the process of sickness absence more effectively and ensure that employees receive the support they need during a difficult time.
In conclusion, statutory sick pay starts on the fourth day of sickness absence for eligible employees who have been off work due to sickness for at least four consecutive days Employees must earn at least £120 per week to qualify for SSP, and can receive up to 28 weeks of SSP in any three-year period Employers have a legal obligation to pay SSP to eligible employees, and can reclaim a proportion of SSP paid using the Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme By understanding when SSP starts and how it is paid, both employees and employers can ensure that employees receive the financial support they need when they are unable to work due to sickness.