Institute Sick Pay Policy
This applies to permanent members of staff, and to qualify, you must have:
- completed your probationary period with the Institute or have three months’ service, whichever is the longest
- complied with the requirements of notification of absence and the provision of self-certification certificates or doctor's notes
Institute sick pay paid in any rolling 12-month period will be as follows:
| After probationary period or three months, whichever is the longest, but less than 1 year | 4 weeks |
| 1 year but less than 2 years | 6 weeks |
| 2 years but less than 5 years | 12 weeks |
| More than 5 years | 16 weeks |
The levels of entitlement set out above can, at the discretion of the Chief Executive be extended to a maximum of 26 weeks’ pay.
The payment made by the Institute includes any entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP).
Institute sick pay will be paid at the discretion of the Executive Team and will not be unreasonably withheld. While the Institute will normally be sympathetic to cases of genuine sickness, illness or accident, persistent absence for these causes may be investigated.
Where there is concern for an employee's health and their ability to carry out work, the Institute reserves the right to ask the employee to submit to an independent medical examination, the cost of which will be borne by the Institute.
Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
SSP is given when an employee has been absent from work for at least 4 or more days (including Saturday and Sunday). This is known as the period of incapacity to work (PIW). The first 3 days of absence are "waiting days" and do not qualify for SSP.
It should be noted that SSP, which is paid to the employee by the Institute on behalf of the State, is subject to income tax and National Insurance deductions.
Withdrawing Institute Sick Pay
Entitlement to Institute sick pay but NOT SSP may be withdrawn from members of staff in the following circumstances:
- when staff on joining, knowingly conceal information about any disease, injury or ailment;
- when staff, after joining, render themselves unfit for work (for example, taking part in a dangerous sport or activity, by self-inflicted injury, by negligence, by the use of illegal drugs or substances, by doing work for another employer);
- failing to submit to an independent medical examination if reasonably requested to do so by the Institute;
- any other substantial reason
Withdrawing Institute Sick Pay and SSP
Entitlement to Institute sick pay and possibly SSP may be withdrawn in the following circumstances:
- absence because of sickness without a satisfactory explanation
- failure to comply with the absence procedures