Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

The government announced on 4 March 2020 that emergency legislation would be introduced for the payment of statutory sick pay (SSP) to employees with the coronavirus. They will be entitled to receive SSP from day one, not day four, of their illness.  

From 13 March 2020, all those who are advised to self-isolate due to the coronavirus outbreak are entitled to be paid SSP, provided they meet the other qualifications. Currently, this is expected to last for a period of eight months.

Paying staff during the coronavirus epidemic

Businesses with fewer than 250 employees (employed as of 28 February 2020) can reclaim the cost of providing Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) to employees off work due to the coronavirus.

The government will work with employers over the coming months to set up the repayment mechanism but says that the eligibility criteria will be as follows:

• This refund will cover up to 2 weeks’ SSP per eligible employee who has been off work because of COVID-19
• Employers should maintain records of staff absences and payments of SSP, but employees will not need to provide a GP fit note
• Eligible period for the scheme will commence the day after the regulations on the extension of SSP to those staying at home comes into force.

ACAS has issued helpful advice on certain scenarios and how businesses should approach them.