This week (26th May), the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme has been launched. This is an online service, aimed at small and medium-sized employers to recover Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) payments they have made to their employees. Employers will be able to make their claims online and will receive repayments at the relevant rate of SSP that they have paid to current or former employees for eligible periods of sickness starting on or after 13 March 2020.
The repayment will cover up to 2 weeks of SSP and is payable if an employee is unable to work because they:
- have coronavirus; or
- are self-isolating and unable to work from home; or
- are shielding because they’ve been advised that they’re at high risk of severe illness from coronavirus
Who can use the scheme?
You can use the scheme as an employer if:
- you’re claiming for an employee who’s eligible for sick pay due to coronavirus
- you have a PAYE payroll scheme that was created and started on or before 28 February 2020
- you had fewer than 250 employees on 28 February 2020 across all your PAYE payroll schemes
Employees do not have to give you a doctor’s fit note for you to make a claim. But you can ask them to give you either:
- an isolation note from NHS 111 – if they are self-isolating and cannot work because of coronavirus (COVID-19)
- the NHS or GP letter telling them to stay at home for at least 12 weeks because they’re at high risk of severe illness from coronavirus
The scheme covers all types of employment contracts, including:
- full-time employees
- part-time employees
- employees on agency contracts
- employees on flexible or zero-hour contracts
Other SSP eligibility criteria apply. Check if you’re eligible here.
Claim back Statutory Sick Pay paid to your employees due to Covid-19 here.
Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/coronavirus-statutory-sick-pay-rebate-scheme-set-to-launch