Matt Halfcock

[Canary42]

Matt Hancock says people must take time off from work when they're sick.

He's so out of touch he doesn't realise that many Employers exercise disciplinary procedures when employees take time off sick, and also many of them don't provide sick pay. But of course you wouldn't expect a Tory Toff to understand that.

https://uk.yahoo.com/style/matt-hancock-covid-british-way-flu-130315285.html

[237SJ]

He needs to be lecturing employers on that one, not the employees.

[smurfchops]

Love the name ....

[bobbinwales]

Am not sure what your saying tho canary- are you saying Hancock should insist that they DO go into work when there sick with corona?
Yes the lack of provision for company sick pay from some employers has allways been an issue even if you go back to Harold Wilson in the late 1960s/early 1970s when my dad was a working man and union man.

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps he believes that the political parties in power over the years must have banned employers punishing employees for having the audacity to get ill. Surely no civilised nation would be allowing such abuse.

[dave50]

A get out of jail free card for all the skivers to ring in sick.

[bobbinwales]

Statutery sick pay has been around for years and as from this year was paid from day one instead of day 4
This was from March canary
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sick-pay-from-day-one-for-those-affected-by-coronavirus

[bobbinwales]

It works both ways. A know peopel who've been scared to take time off sick at all times over my allmost 40 years work because there scared of loosing there job, but allso there's been lots of skivvers who happily take 20-40 days every year sick on full pay when its available

[cashier]

An employee only has a certain number of sick days in the company's financial year. At my last one if you went over they used to threaten if you took any more you would be sacked.

[grumpy01]

Most companies operate a three times in a rolling year policy for sickness.

[bobbinwales]

Some not sure about most. Yes 3 or 4 separate periods of sickness but employers after go through a log winded process of infmal counselling, then if it continues a verbal warning, then next year a written one, next year maybe final written.... some employees know how to play the system- show a small improovement after a warning then it has to start again.
Anyway the corona sickness absense is a diffrent issue as it should all be over within a year of it starting in MArch /April. unless peopel are off 4 or more times for it it shouldnt lead to sacking

[weecalf]

Boris let you off Matty?

[Electrochem]

The majority of employers use the Bradford Scale:

https://blog.rotacloud.com/bradford-factor-guide-for-managers/

When I was working, there were those who would take time off for the most trivial of things and this left others, who rarely took sick leave, to pick up the pieces. It has to be remembered as well, that you have no protection in the first two years of employment against unfair dismissal (apart from some discriminatory causes), so an employer can dismiss you at any time during this period. I am not saying that I think this is right; merely stating the rules.

[Togo]

When did this site descend into the puerile gutter so beloved of the permanently disaffected. A headline not fit for a, so called, serious category on this site and certainly not worthy of a reply from anyone with any grown up thoughts. Not unexpected mind, if one sees the source.

[Old_Geezer]

It should be obvious if someone is swinging the lead. Seriously ill folk will have a doctor's confirmation. Same for regularly ill folk.

[Peter Pedant]

there is quie a lot wrong with the opening statement isnt there
mainlhy corrected by bobbin wales and a few others

// and also many of them don't provide sick pay.// er if this were true which I dont believe it is - - all employers would say what ho boys no sick pay

and - - you cant be punished for being ill - - only punished for saying you were ill when you werent

oh well what the hell - the is AB

[jourdain2]

He needs to get real! Has he ever worked?

Just asking, because younger (divorced) daughter who is in her first year of teaching (great timing)with 2 U.12 kids is just finishing having to stay at home for a fortnight because youngest sprog has been sent home to isolate because 1 kid in her class had Covid. The school promptly told her that she would not be paid (although she is writing and delivering lessons - because they did not have the mechanisms to accommodate her. The only pattern they had was that she could have a few days off work without pay, as a classroom assistant. Snag - she isn't, she's working all the time.

The problem was that the children's father (who can work from home) is not allowed under the lockdown rules to spend all day there.... I know, I can scarcely get my head around it .... he is allowed to take to school, collect etc..

It has taken ages to organise and agree that she is still working and should be paid and does not class as a casual assistant. They have had no experience of this before (understandably). All's well that ends well, but I am worried that her contract may not be renewed this Summer. Under normal circumstances they will cover a sick child between them - annoyingly, this one is far from sick and is bouncing around the house! I think that the rule-makers are displaying a very serious detachment from reality.

[bobbinwales]

But she's off because of childcare not because shes sick it seems to me jourdain. There needs to be incentive tho to stay home if ill with corona

[bobbinwales]

Would she of been paid if she'd went off sick? Maybe she should of done that- said she had symtoms

[jourdain2]

Yes, bobinwales, I'm sorry. It's just that it is all so stupid at the moment. If ill - stay off work. But it is all so chaotic now.

[Maydup]

I agree with you Canary. Many employers dont provide sick pay - fact. Many zero hour contract people are simply given no hours once they call in sick and therefore no SSP either. All too much like hard work for the employer. Its easier to tell them that when they're better give us a ring and we'll see what shifts we have going etc etc.