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This post has now been replaced by our Coronavirus page:
In preparation for salon and spa staff taking time off for the corona virus, we revisit the rules around statutory sick pay SSP.
It’s in law that you have to pay SSP; but you cannot reclaim it back
Since 6th April 2014, an employer can no longer claim back any SSP it has paid to its employees. The SSP paid is therefore an absolute cost to the salon owner.
SSP is £94.25 a week for up to 28 weeks
Other rules to bear in mind:
You may not have to pay SSP if any of the following is true:
Self employed peeps (eg chair renters)
For self employed stylists and therapists, there’s no SSP; and also no other government benefits they can claim for time off sick.
They may have private health insurance but would have to check if Corona Virus is covered.
Advice from the FSB:
“Employees who develop symptoms will of course be unfit for work.
They will be entitled to SSP subject to meeting the qualifying criteria. Additionally, an employee is deemed to be incapable of work for SSP purposes if they:
• are a carrier of, or
• have been in contact with an infectious or contagious disease of a kind specified in Regulation 2(3) of the Statutory Sick Pay (General) Regulations 1982 and has been issued with a statement from a registered medical practitioner advising them not to go to work due to it being known or reasonably suspected that they have been in contact with or infected by one.”
Advice from ACAS:
“The ACAS guidance on coronavirus states, in brief, that there’s no statutory right to pay if someone is not sick but cannot work because they:
But it’s good practice for their employer to treat it as sick leave and follow their usual sick pay policy or agree for the time to be taken as holiday.
The guidance can be found here: https://www.acas.org.uk/coronavirus
Clearly if employees have been told to self-isolate on medical advice because it is known or reasonably suspected they have been exposed to the virus, rather than just as a precautionary measure, they would be entitled to SSP (subject to meeting eligibility criteria).”