SPM10410 - Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)
- Notification and Evidence of Sickness
Withholding SSP due to late notification
Prescribed time limits
The employer should accept that notification was given on time
if:
- the employee does not notify the employer
within:
- the time specified by the employer, or
- seven calendar days of the start of the
incapacity, and
- the employer thinks there was good cause
for delay, if it is given:
- within one calendar month of the time specified by
the employer, or of the seven days period after any relevant days
of incapacity, or
- up to 91 days after any relevant days of
incapacity, if the employer is satisfied it was not reasonably
practicable for the employee to notify them within the calendar
month.
The employer can withhold payment of SSP if the notification is
given outside the time limits described above or there was no good
reason for the delay.
It is up to the employer to decide what is a good cause but
examples could be:
- an employee lives alone with no means of
contacting the employer to tell them of their illness, or
- an employee is seriously ill in hospital and there
was no one who could tell the employer.
SSP can only be withheld for the number of qualifying days for
which notification was late.
As no SSP is payable, these days do not count towards the 28
week maximum for SSP.
