# advice plz time off sick on a zero hr contract.



## sptme (Jan 31, 2013)

I'm currently on a zero hour contract as bank staff. my contract doesn't entitle me to any pay for time off sick. I only get paid for the hours I work. But I'm going to have to go into hospital and have an operation and take 2 or 3 weeks off work to recover.  I'm guessing I can't claim JSA as I'll be unfit for work. so what option are open to me to get some money during that time?


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## Blagsta (Jan 31, 2013)

Statutory sick pay. It ain't much though.


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## sptme (Jan 31, 2013)

Where/ how do you claim that? do ya need a letter from the doc hospital etc? I never claimed it before.


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## Blagsta (Jan 31, 2013)

Not sure tbh.


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## Pickman's model (Jan 31, 2013)

and it's over the cesare for the answer


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## cesare (Jan 31, 2013)

Is it an agency bank?


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## Puddy_Tat (Jan 31, 2013)

This (Adviceguide from CAB) is probably the best place to start.

From a quick peruse, you might be entitled to SSP, but it says



> To get SSP, you must earn more than £107 a week.


 
I guess it depends what your earnings are considered to be - I'm not well up enough to know how they deal with people whose hours (and therefore pay) varies.

If you're not entitled to SSP, you can claim Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Either way, if you have dependents, you may also be able to claim income support; and if you are liable to pay rent / council tax, you may be able to claim housing / council tax benefit (the latter is via your local council) - these are all 'means tested' and based on household income and circumstances, so if you have a partner, their income will be taken in to account as well.

hope all goes well.


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## cesare (Jan 31, 2013)

To get ESA you need to provide them with an SSP1 in any event (the form that says you're not entitled to SSP if you're not). The employer *has* to provide you with that.


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## sptme (Jan 31, 2013)

cesare No not agency. My employer gives me a PAYE slip at the end of each month. but the hours can change from as little as 40 up to 100 per month. I'm worried that if i tell them I need time off the hours will just disappear and they'll say I don't meet the £107 per week.


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## cesare (Jan 31, 2013)

sptme said:


> cesare No not agency. My employer gives me a PAYE slip at the end of each month. but the hours can change from as little as 40 up to 100 per month. I'm worried that if i tell them I need time off the hours will just disappear and they'll say I don't meet the £107 per week.


If you're on PAYE and flexible hours but normally something every month, there's a good chance* that you're a worker rather than a casual and therefore probably entitled to SSP if you qualify. As you say, it's the qualifying which is the tricky part if you alert them in advance. I'd be tempted to notify them on the first day of sickness as per the reporting requirements so that they don't have a chance to drop your hours beforehand.

* but not guaranteed


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## sptme (Mar 14, 2013)

Update.
At first they said I wasn't entitled to SSP or any other sick pay from them. So I asked them to give me the SSP1 form. Then all of a sudden they found out I was entitled to SSP after all.

So I'm convalescing at home and I'm not totally skint.


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## cesare (Mar 14, 2013)

sptme said:


> Update.
> At first they said I wasn't entitled to SSP or any other sick pay from them. So I asked them to give me the SSP1 form. Then all of a sudden they found out I was entitled to SSP after all.
> 
> So I'm convalescing at home and I'm not totally skint.


Oh, cool. So that's a bit of a result


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## OneStrike (Mar 23, 2013)

good for you sptme, hope your doing well. I was about to post a thread with a similar problem but I felt a pogo bouncing on my shoulder so searched ssp.

I'm temping with an agency in a pretty physically demanding job, after a fight with some stairs i've broken my foot and will be out of action for at least 4-6 weeks. The agency refuse point blank to pay me ssp yet i'm sure i meet the criteria. As I understand it they need to stipulate why they won't pay on the ssp1 form,  I can then forward the form onto the job centre with a copy of my sick note, its been two weeks and they still aren't co-operating. I know what the agency will do, they'll be as difficult as possible knowing that they should pay the £85 a week or whatever it comes to, i'm expecting them to find a reason to sack me tbh. I've read that it would be illegal for them to do so if the main reason is to avoid paying ssp but how I could afford to challenge it (if they do), is beyond me.


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