Hi everyone,
Just wondering about my sick pay. I know as a teacher I get 6 months full pay then 6 months half pay plus statutory sick pay.
I’m also aware that sick pay entitlement resets every April 1st.
I had 6 weeks off in January and February and then returned for 2 weeks. My second absence was in late march and included the easter break. This was for a second operation. I’m told that because I was off on 1st April, that the absence counts as last year. I need to return before my new year’s entitlement restarts. I’m returning in a week or so. Will my sick pay reset? I am expecting to start chemo soon and need to be back to the full entitlement or I will struggle financially.
Dies anyone know? Thanks all.
Hi
I also work in school. I have been off sick since last May as I’m still in treatment. I had 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. I had been ill in the January 2023 with pneumonia and was off for 4 weeks, that was counted as sick in a 12 month period, there was no mention of reset in April.
As the first 6 months ended I was at the end of the statutory sick pay so had to apply for Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and had already applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
It seems different schools and local authorities have different policies.
I have since applied and been accepted for redundancy as I don’t believe I can continue with the side effects of my treatment.
It would be interesting to hear others situation.
Take care 
Oh this sounds scary to me. I hope uou are ok and managing well. Such a stress on top of all the treatment. I can’t afford for this to happen. So if you started treatment last May, are you still in the half pay part…does that include statutory sick pay or do you get that on top of half pay? Teachers pay rules are different to support staff too. Theirs doesn’t reset. I am so confused with it all. No-one at work tells me the same thing twice. I’ve emailed my union for clarification. I’ll post it back here when I find out. X
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I’m now on no pay but receive benefits. I’m lucky to have a supportive husband.
I am/was a Higher Level Teaching Assistant covering the PPA time of multiple teachers. I still had to plan, prep and deliver lessons to the same standard as the teachers but in support staff pay and conditions.
I had terrible communication from the payroll/HR dept of the council and like you ended up getting my union involved.
I hope you get the answers you need.
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Maybe contact you HR team….or look at your absence management policy?..… I’m nhs so we having a rolling sick entitlement ……it works out 28 weeks ( 6.5m) on full pay then 6 m half pay……but any you work in between , you can add onto the end
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Hi,
I think it depends what authority you work for. I dont think my authority resets in April. Id ask HR for the policy or contact your union for advice
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Thanks all. My union says that my authority follows the burgandy book. Theyve clarified that if I return before chemo starts my sick pay will reset. Im going to ho back next week for a while until my next bit of treatment starts. Goodness knows how I’ll concentrate x
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Hi,
I don’t know if this applies and maybe I read your original post incorrectly, but this is just for anyone who’s working in a school and off sick. I went off sick in November 2023; my school follows the burgundy book. I was told 6 months full pay and then 6 months half pay, however I asked if they could consider extending my sick pay. I believe this is at their discretion. My HR informed me a couple of weeks ago that they are e tending my full pay until August. So if anyone is worried about finances or struggling, speak to your HR and see if this is a possibility. Even if they say no, there is no harm in asking x
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Good to know, thanks @Eniy91. I didnt know that could happen. Currently I’m waiting for a third op, but my first 2 happened before April 1st, so my sick pay is now refreshed. I’m not going to need any sick pay now until chemo starts which might be august. Therefore I’m hoping that I won’t actually have days counted until september. It’s so complicated but I will ask for an extension later on. Thank you. I hope its all going well. X
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All the best and I hope everything goes smoothly for you. The last thing you need during a difficult time like this is to worry about pay and finances.
I wasn’t aware about sick pay resetting, however good to know that it will be reset for you.
If you don’t mind me asking, when you say third op, do you mean the lumpectomy?
I had chemo first and had my surgery on Thursday just done. I will find out in a couple of weeks if the margins are clear; if not then I will need a second op, but I wasn’t aware of needing a third op. Of course I understand everyone’s circumstances are different, but was just curious what a third op was for.
Did you have chemo, then surgery and needing chemo again?
Hi @Eniy91. I had a lumpectomy and slnd. The lymph node and margins were positive so 2nd op was an alnd and cavity shave. The cavity shave found some dcis so Im having a third op. If it doesn’t work then I’ll need masectomy. Finally after this I will see oncologist for chemo, radio or both.
Yes, teachers sick pay resets on 1st April unless you’re already off sick, which means it continues as part of period of absence already started. Hope that helps. I was worried because my sickness period began before April and then over Easter. My treatment with chemo hasn’t begun yet and I didn’t want to waste the full pay part of the sick pay.
Good luck with your recovery and your next steps. X
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Eniy91 If the margins still aren’t clear they can try one more time before a mastectomy depending on breast size and extent of disease. I was told that they only offer 3 but that may differ for different surgeons. After my 2nd failed excision I was given the choice of further surgery or mastectomy - I opted for the mastectomy which I had 3 weeks ago.
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Hi . I know this is an old post and i hope everyone is doing well.
Im a support worker in a sen school been there 10 years.
Im having an op next week been off for 3 weeks already. Im hoping im fine to return after the summer but may need raditherapy.
I do have another unrelated surgery coming up possibly next feb.
What im asking is does my sick pay add up to the 6 months then reset in april so if the next op before april will it be included in this sick pay.
Sorry if i havent explained properly i hope you get jist .
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Hi there @circleoflife. If you’re a teacher and have been teaching for 4+ years, then you’ll get full pay for 6 months then 6 months half pay April 1st to march 31st. It resets every April 1st, providing you are actually in school prior to that date. If you’re still off sick on April 1st, you will not have it reset until you return from absence. So if you have time off for your breast cancer treatment, return to work then go off again for the operation in february, the year’s sick pay allowance will continue. If you don’t need chemo, you’ll probably not get onto your half pay.
Good luck with it all. Keep us posted x
Is a support worker similar to a teaching assistant/learning support? If you’re in a council run school you will be on a different contract to school teachers. Most support staff are on term time only contracts being paid 39 weeks plus holiday but having that paid over the full 12 months ( your per annum pay is pro rata).
I was employed for over 20 years and was covered for 6 months full pay and then 6 months half pay, this was over a full year with contracts running from 1 September to 31 August. I would suggest speaking to your head for clarification of your contract and how you personally are affected. Within my old school some were on fixed term, some permanent and others with agencies so hard to compare. If you have a union they are also very good at advising of your contracts and rights especially after a cancer diagnosis. You are now disabled under the Equality Act 2010 and can ask for reasonable adjustment ( but it’s not always guaranteed sadly) You could lose contact Human Resources department and ask then to confirm your status.
Sorry I can’t give a definite answer as there are many variables.
Take care
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@naughty_boob @bluesatsuma. Thanks for you replies ladies.
Its a school term time permanent contract for the council. Same as teaching assistant were just called support workers as its different in a sen school.
Im just stressing as im off at the moment having surgery friday . The recovery will take me to the Sumner. Then if i need radiotherapy and its September i may not be in and then all summer have to be sick leave.
In possibly feb though the way things are it will prob be delayed im due a long awaited other op.
I just dont want to have to live on half pay if at all possible. Ive never had more than a week off every few years so its all new to me .
Xxx
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@naughty_boob sorry forgot to say yes its pro rata pay.
Also is every cancer diagnosis covered by the disability act . Mine is DCIS having wide local incision then possibly radiotherapy and hormone tablets . I was surprised to get a medical exemption certificate.
Thanks again x
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It seems you are on a contract similar to mine, so mine ran from September to August, check with your head and HR if it resets or whether they do sickness in a 12 month period.
If it was me I would be Fit for Work ( even if you are still recovering) over the 6 week summer holiday as you don’t get paid for it anyway so why have it recorded as sick. Then if you’re not well enough get signed off from September again. Yes it would be multiple sick times off but it would be 6 weeks less of your full pay entitlement.
As far as being disabled , I believe DCIS is a form of cancer but not a type that is invasive or spreads outside of the duct. As it’s cancer I would think you are still covered but I’m not legally trained. Again something to check, you could call Citizens Advice or MacMillan or BCN nurses. MacMillan offer help with financial and benefits.
@naughty_boob thanks so much for your detailed reply . I do get paid through summer as ours in pro rata so same pay each month.
Ill maybe ask my union rep who will know . Im hoping to return all done in September but like to be informed if that wasnt to happen.
Thanks again 
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Your pay is paid/ spread over 12 months but you are probably only on a 39 week contract plus some holiday.
When I first worked in school we were never ‘paid’ in August due to summer holidays and then they decided to spread your pay over the 12 months so it helped with budgeting. So unless your contract is 52 weeks you’re not ‘paid’ for summer 6 weeks.
Holiday pay depends on how long you have worked for school, usually maxs out at 6/7weeks so 46/47 weeks pay.
As you have a union, I would recommend a call to them, that’s what you pay for after all.