Your employees may be eligible to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) due to Coronavirus related absence.

Do you have any employees who are currently unable to work because they are self-isolating or shielding?

If, so they will be entitled to be paid a minimum of Statutory Sick Pay (SSP), from the first day of their absence.

If your employee is clinically extremely vulnerable and cannot work because they have received a notification advising them to shield, you can furlough them under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme if you meet the criteria.

Please see below when your employee would be eligible for SSP due to Coronavirus:

• They are displaying symptoms of, or have tested positive for, COVID-19
• Someone in their household (including linked or extended household) is displaying symptoms of, or has tested positive for COVID-19
• They have been notified by the NHS or public health authorities that they have been in contact with someone with COVID-19.
• They been advised by a doctor or healthcare professional to self-isolate before going into hospital for surgery.

Your employee may be required to self-isolate multiple times. Each time they are required to self-isolate “provided all eligibility criteria are met” they must receive Statutory Sick Pay for the duration of their absence.

As an employer, if you are a small or medium sized business, you can reclaim up to two weeks of SSP paid per employee for absences related to COVID-19.

If we run your payroll and you are unsure if your employee would qualify for SSP, please contact us at payroll@ssmithaccountants.co.uk.

Alternatively, for further information on SSP, please visit HMRC.