Government plans to change the conditions of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) could increase the number of sick days taken by people who are not genuinely unwell, businesses warn.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has said that the scrapping of the rule, which allows businesses to wait for three days before allowing sick pay will create an incentive to avoid work.
However, under proposals in a government green paper the ‘three-day rule’ would be scrapped and employers would have to pay SSP from an employee’s first day of absence.
The government says that the change will make management simpler for businesses, however the BCC disagree.
David Frost, director general of the BCC, said: “Giving all employees the right to SSP from day one would create a perverse incentive for individuals to take occasional sick days, which cause serious disruption for small firms.
“Many businesses operate occupational sick pay schemes that compensate employees from their first day of absence.
“For small businesses the Government’s proposals would make absence management more difficult, not less.”
“The proposal has been dressed up as a simplification measure, but it merely tinkers with the current regulations and leave many of the fundamental complexities in place.”
