Rules about notifying the employer

To claim SSP, the employee must notify the employer. Although an employer can have its own notification procedure as a condition of payment of occupational sick pay, when it comes to SSP, the position is different. An employee claiming SSP cannot be required 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.