Statutory Sick Pay to be enforced from the first day of sickness

Statutory sick pay is to be introduced into company policies for the first day taken of work as a part of the emergency coronavirus legislation – self-employed workers are not eligible however casual and agency workers are. Normally, the payment is not to be paid until after the first three days someone is taken sick. Alongside this, if you have a relative who is ill, employers must give you time off to do help take care of them however they are not forced to pay you. To be entitled to SSP, you must be earning a minimum of £11

8 a week leaving people on zero-hour-contracts vulnerable as they may earn less than this.

Statutory sick pay is money paid by employers and is currently set to £94.25 a week although employers are eligible to increase this at their own discretion. As of December, last year, average weekly earnings within the UK are £544.

Up to a fifth of work forces may be taken ill and off sick due to the coronavirus epidemic says the UK government. The cases are still on the rise from 39 to 85 on Wednesday. The prime minister has warned that it is ‘highly likely’ the UK will see further infection. Furthermore, recently retired nurses and doctors may be called back to work to help focus on treating those who are infecting and to help stop delays within the health care system.