SDER

I know generally how much vacation people working in the uk get - but im interested to know how many sick days per year office workers get.
Thanks...!

JAJ

Doesn't it depend on how sick you are?

Jeremy

megs

Depends on your employer.

I've always worked in the public sector, and I got six months on full pay, and six months on half pay. Per year.

squirrelnutkin

In my company (private sector UK) it is indefinite, on full pay. That's assuming you're not obviously taking the piss, eg stress related absences etc. So 6 weeks out with a slipped disc wouldn't be questioned but once it got past a few weeks on a 'funny', more information would be required. First 3 days don't need a doctor's note, eg for minor colds and flu.

SDER

Okay, maybe I should have stuck the word "Paid" in there. Rephrase "how many paid sick days do you get in the uk?"

SDER

Megs - Dang!!!! That is amazing! Six months full pay!!!??? In the US I get just ten sick days per year.! Another good reason to move to the uk!!

ScousePete

Ten days - that's generous! I get 6 days and a doctor's note required for 2 or more.

SDER

Actually, ten days was a guestimate - I actually get a combination of fifteen sick/vacation days off a years.

megs

[QUOTE=SDER]Megs - Dang!!!! That is amazing! Six months full pay!!!??? In the US I get just ten sick days per year.! Another good reason to move to the uk!!QUOTE]

LOL. And then people wonder why I want to move home!

honeymommy

[QUOTE=megs]
May be wrong here , but I think I am getting your drift... Means I know what you are thinking....


Hubby worked in USA. Got vacation allowance and sick allowance... He and his collegues would take thier vacation allowance and then their sick allowance as vacation also... Meaning they got longer vacation time.. (Good if you are never sick)

Here in the UK you get a good amount of vacation time per year... Sick time... You get paid depending on your contract and government guidelines I think.... Anyway here's the downer... (If you think it sounds great)...

You work for a company here and take too much sick time you will find yourself out of a job.... They cannot legally say thats the reason, but they can get you out and get someone else in... Commonly known as restructuring... LOL

Getting another job, when you have to declare you previous sickdays over last 2 to 3 years will not go down well with a prospective employer.

Could have missread you post.. Just took the idea from our experience in the US.


GOD if we all got 6 months full pay sick leave, noone would be at work!!!!

CPW

Up to six months is fairly normal for people on ordinary contracts. But there are lots of hoops you'd have to jump through (in the form of doctor's certificates and quite possibly examination and certification by the company's doctor) before this would be available. Anything over seven days (or is it five working days?) has to be certified by a doctor for payment to continue.

bridiej

It varies from place to place.

Last place I worked at was 10 days paid sick leave.

pain-in-spain

Up until 2.5 years ago, I spent my working life in the UK and never worried about unpaid sick days, if I was ill, I took the time off and was paid, I don´t remember ever being off more than 5 consecutive days though. I got 25 days paid holiday as well, which was great. I remember when I was in the Uk people would say how lucky the Spanish are because of all their "extra" holidays and the fact they all take a month off in the summer. Well, since I´ve lived here the reality is quite different. For a start, although the Spanish get probably on average around 6 public holidays more than us, if it falls on a weekend, the holiday is lost, in other words, you don´t get a bank holiday Monday tagged onto the weekend. For example, this year Christmas falls on a weekend, but unlike the UK, the Spanish have to go to work on the Monday as normal, unless they take extra days out of their annual allowance.

I am working for an English guy over here and although he is not declaring that I am his employee, i.e. he is not paying my social security and tax contributions, he insisted on giving me a written contract (fairly worthless, you might think). In this "contract" it states that I get 20 days holiday, plus all the Spanish public holidays, which I now realise are not such a great bonus! He also states that I am allowed to take 4 days extra for sickness per year, any additional days will be deducted from my holiday allowance!!! It is incredible that he has the cheek to do this, especially given his dodgy nature and the fact that if he suddenly decides to up sticks and close the business, I am left high and dry! My plan is to try not to take days off for illness and add them to my holiday allowance, not sure if I can manage it but it´s worth a try.

half-pint

It's normally six months but you will need a doctor's certificate signing you off sick. Most companies require a doctor's certificate after you have been absent for five consecutive days (this includes weekends). Also when you return to employment after being sick you normally have to fill in a sick form which is held in your employer's records, you have to write down the reasons why you were sick and sign and date it.

Many employers will ask how many sick days you had during your last employment and for what reason. A bad attendance record is not a good thing to have, nearly all employers will call for references from your last employment.

Ellie

bridiej

Not sure about that, of all the jobs i've had not one employer has asked for a reference.

Having said that, I still wouldnt have loads of sick time, firstly becuase not that sort of person and second just in case they do ask for a ref!!

You need to be careful about the holidays too.

One firm I worked for said I wasnt allowed any holiday for a year as I had to accrue it. Needless to say, when I left I totally forgot they owed me a year's holiday!!!