Putting no pay for sick leave in employment contract.

drunkmonkey

Just a question re-Joan Brutons proposal to make employers pay for staff sick leave for up to 4 weeks a year.

If this was brought in would it be possible to put in a clause in an employment contract that no sick leave will be paid or would you be breaking any laws.
Could the government actually force employers to do this.

slimjimmc

Well surely it's no different than when any other law is enacted. If you try to impose something which is contrary to law then you are breaking that law.
They force employers to abide by H&S laws, working hours directives, environmental, tax and loads of other laws or else face a penalty, why do you think any new law would be any different?

Victor

What is likely to happen is that the Social Welfare Acts will be changed such that the DSP pays from the thirtieth day instead of the third day of illness and a correspondingly obliging employers to pay sick pay at a rate to be determined (possibly state as a minimum of what someone would be entitled to on Illness Benefit).

Certain piece workers, casual workers and self employed people may find themselves in difficulty (I think self employed people have limited access to illness benefit anyway).