Statutory Sick Leave Scheme Becomes Law

Employee's entitlement to statutory sick leave

The Act, once commenced, will introduce an entitlement to statutory sick leave for an employee who would ordinarily work but is incapable of doing so due to illness or injury. Initially, an employee will be entitled to up to three statutory sick leave days per year but the Act provides that this number can be increased by Ministerial order.

Currently, employees who are not paid sick pay by their employers do not receive any payment for the initial three-day period of their illness/absence, as State illness benefit does not become payable (to those employees eligible to receive it) until after the first three days of illness/absence. The new statutory sick leave payment will ensure that qualifying employees will now receive the sick leave payment from the first day of their illness/absence, covering the period until illness benefit is payable. The Government has indicated that it intends to increase this period to 5