Campaign urges sick pay increase

A campaign to increase sick pay urges the government to take urgent action on statutory sick pay (SSP). The TUC is asking people to sign the petition #SickPayForAll to guarantee decent sick pay for every worker.

Sick pay is currently just £95.85 a week. While the government has temporarily removed the three-day waiting period for many as a result of trade union pressure (the first three days of sickness do not have to be paid, except when it’s for self-isolation for coronavirus), it is still not enough to live on.

More than 1.8 million people do not qualify to receive SSP at all because they earn less than the qualifying minimum earnings threshold of £120 a week.

Such low rates of SSP put workers’ health and safety at risk since there is an incentive for the low paid to go to work while sick rather than face financial hardship.

The current pandemic has brought some urgency to the situation since those who develop COVID-19 symptoms or test positive will not be able to self-isolate if they can’t afford to do so.

The petition demands emergency legislation to:

• scrap the minimum earnings threshold;

• ensure that sick pay is paid to workers who have to self-isolate;

• increase the level of SSP to at least that of the Real Living Wage of £320 per week; and

• provide funds to ensure that employers can pay sick pay and provide additional support to those who miss out.

https://www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/sick-pay-for-every-worker-on-day-one