When I was 23 years old, I received a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.
The news came as a shock, necessitating a five-week radiotherapy regimen at a specialized facility catering to young patients. Commuting 40 miles daily to the hospital for treatment became part of my routine.
Due to the draining treatment side effects and the time-consuming hospital visits involving preparation, parking, and waiting, I had to take an extended leave from my job at a prominent supermarket chain.
During such challenging times, one hopes for understanding and support from their employer. Regrettably, the deficient sick pay coverage in the UK left me and many others feeling abandoned.
In my situation, I initially received just a two-week paid sick leave from my employer before transitioning to statutory sick pay (SSP) for several months, amounting to less than £3 per hour for a full-time employee like myself.
It was a challenging period, but with the support of my partner, family, friends, and organizations like Young Lives vs Cancer, I managed to cope.
Through my interactions with individuals impacted by insufficient sick pay, often highlighted in the Safe Sick Pay campaign, I learned that some individuals received no sick pay at all while undergoing treatment.
Insufficient sick pay not only affects those facing major health challenges but also impacts individuals needing time off for minor illnesses. For individuals on rotating shifts, delayed pay from the fourth day of illness can result in a significant loss of income.
Hence, I was dismayed to discover that certain members of the House of Lords are attempting to impede the introduction of day one sick pay rights through the Employment Rights Bill.
Blocking immediate sick pay rights and neglecting support for low-income earners is unjust. These reforms do not demand the impossible from employers; they simply require them to provide essential support for individuals to recuperate and return to work safely.
In contrast to many parts of the world, where such support is routine, these measures are long overdue.
Therefore, I, along with other affected workers advocating for improved sick pay, urge the House of Lords to prioritize passing the bill and implementing these crucial steps toward a fairer sick pay system benefiting millions.
At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the “Do Not Sell or Share