Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.
Twenty-four trade union leaders have contacted Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ask for an increase to statutory sick pay (SSP). The group has voiced concern that the government has failed to integrate the Labour Party’s promise to “strengthen” SSP into existing legislation, meaning some workers are being forced into debt. The issue has now been raised in the parliamentary scrutiny of the Employment Rights Bill. Experts suggest some healthcare workers are struggling with the lower rates of SSP compared to their usual salaries, and that the level of payment must be addressed.
While many businesses have introduced more attractive sick pay schemes, around one in four workers have to turn to legal minimums. Data from Citizens Advice shows SSP is the largest employment issue its advisers must contend with. The Safe Sick Pay campaign co-ordinated the letter, with signatories including leaders of the postal union, the CWU, the civil service union, the PCS, the teaching union, the NEU, and the Bakers’ Union. Some healthcare unions have argued that there are wider concerns for public health along with the societal impact of the situation.
The Employment Rights Bill will extend the number of people entitled to sick pay, allowing payments from the first day of illness. Currently, workers are unpaid for the first three days off. The Labour-affiliated union GMB did not sign the letter to the prime minister but has still expressed concerns. A recent survey of care workers conducted by the GMB suggests that one in three cannot afford to take sick leave. The SSP rate is less than a third of the national minimum wage, leaving many workers struggling to handle the financial impact of illness.
The government’s proposed employment reforms, aimed at expanding workers’ rights, have faced criticism from some business groups concerned that they may lead to higher costs. The Employment Lawyers Association (ELA), a group of 7,000 lawyers, has warned that the legislation may impose new obligations and burdens on employers. Smaller businesses in particular are concerned that increasing SSP would add further stress. The Federation of Small Businesses has argued that companies which employ younger and older workers, who take more sick time, would be hit hardest, putting an already struggling economy under further strain.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found. Blocked by captcha.