Chapter 7
Claiming SSP
[ch 7: page 65]To claim SSP, the employee must notify the employer. Although an employer can have its own notification rules for payment of occupational sick pay, when it comes to SSP, the position is different. An employee claiming SSP cannot be made to notify the employer in person, and does not have to provide a doctor’s certificate (now known as a Statement of Fitness for Work or “Fit Note”) for the first seven days’ absence.
Unpaid SSP can be claimed as an unlawful deduction from wages in the employment tribunal, or a wage claim in the civil courts. But only HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can resolve a dispute over entitlement to SSP.