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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