It is understood that this is potentially a temporary measure to support GP’s during what is anticipated to be a busy winter. We anticipate that this will remain at twenty-eight days, as Statutory Sick Pay is no longer a reclaimable cost and is now entirely funded by employers.
In summary, employees currently need a Fit Note after seven calendar days to claim Statutory Sick Pay, this has now been increased to twenty-eight calendar days.
This change means that attendance monitoring probably needs to be more actively managed to ensure that you understand the health and wellbeing issues at hand and can manage problematic absence proactively.
We are happy to provide existing HR clients with an updated section to insert into their employee handbook, or review your own policy edits, free of charge as a thank you. If we didn’t write your handbook for you, we can assist in editing your policy or supply you with a new sickness policy, at minimal cost.
To receive the updated policy wording or find out more how we can help with your sickness policy, please mail HR@throgmorton.co.uk with Sickness Policy Update in the subject line.
If you want to see the new legislation it can be viewed at: The Statutory Sick Pay (Medical Evidence) Regulations 2021.
