tish501 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Seething....with 7 days left of the funded term...a member of staff last night at a course produced a drs sick note signing her off for 2 weeks...due to stress/depression.so not in today and for next 2 weeks......in all 11 years of trading have never had to deal with a sick note or Statutory Sick pay (which i found out cannot be claimed back)...apart from letting her colleagues down,i am not sure how to pay her...I know she loses the first 3 days of her sickness...so today,thu,and fri....then 88.45 per week.....hopefully not too long off since expensive,,,and having to pay another member of staff to cover, I think we all suffer with stress to a certain extent...its just the nature of the job ....but would never let my staff down,,,,,opinions please... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel10 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 There's nothing you can do about it, if she entitled to ssp ie being earning over £112 per week. I presume you haven't paid employers contributions last year so hopefully you won't be too much out of pocket. She can't earn ssp and holiday pay at the same time so you may need to make an adjustment for this. The run in is actually 4 days. The ssp calculator might help you work out how much is owed. I presume she shouldn't have been at the course if signed off sick? Do you really need to provide cover at this time of year. Although we are trying to finish up for the year, the children all play so beautifully together and don't need us. As long as ratios are covered. It may be good to do a back to work interview in September. Is it work related? Any clues from her supervision records? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsp Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Could you use parent helpers or if committee run, use committee members to cover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 8, 2015 Author Share Posted July 8, 2015 Run in is 4...will check that....not work related----partner related,,,diff of 9 years in age,,,she 19 he 28 he has never worked,,,,you can imagine the debt related issues she has....ratios are fine albeit strained at times.....not committee led...Private full time ... was ok at the course...proactive...but we shall see how it pans out....if 4 days means mon is the 4th day...so what 'week' does the £88.45 cover ...thanks x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel10 Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 The 4 days don't have to be work days. Who does your payroll they should be able to work it out or I would use my payroll system to work it out. If your ratios are fine don't get cover. Staff need to realise they work as a team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperrabbit Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 . Staff need to realise they work as a team. Oh, in my dreams 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blondie Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 Oh, in my dreams mine too 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted July 8, 2015 Share Posted July 8, 2015 I think we all suffer with stress to a certain extent...its just the nature of the job ....but would never let my staff down,,,,,opinions please... Staff need to realise they work as a team. Oh dear. As someone who has suffered with depression in the past, I think it is all too easy to see someone carrying on in their job and not realise how profoundly affected by depression and stress they have been over a long period of time. Sometimes it takes every ounce of energy just to put one foot in front of the other and carry on, until you get to the stage where you just can't do it any more. I don't know the person you're talking about here, but it may be that going to that training and giving you her sick note was the end of a struggle to keep going. Her situation does sound very stressful, and if she is worried about debt to begin with, going on sick leave is going to make things even worse. I'm sure she'll be feeling guilty and worried about letting you all down, and I know from experience that it isn't easy to admit that you've got a mental health problem. The best thing you can do is to keep talking to her, checking up on her and letting her know that you understand that she is ill, that no-one is judging her and that you are willing to help. If you can signpost to local support services and organisations, so much the better. I hope you get the financial side of this sorted - it is difficult if you haven't had to deal with this before but I guess it is all part of being an employer. Also, make sure you get some support for yourself too - it can be exhausting supporting someone who is depressed, even if (or maybe especially when?) the person is not a close friend but a work colleague. Good luck with it all! 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Thanks for your post Happy Maz....made me think ,as never experienced depression myself...We were "superwomen " yesterday according to my manager...repeat performance today methinks....small nursery...as owner I do the wages ...will sort over the weekend or perhaps not ...have all four grandchildren for the weekend tonight then ..... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Thanks for your post Happy Maz....made me think ,as never experienced depression myself...We were "superwomen " yesterday according to my manager...repeat performance today methinks....small nursery...as owner I do the wages ...will sort over the weekend or perhaps not ...have all four grandchildren for the weekend tonight then ..... That's a lovely reaction tish - it is bloomin' tough at the top and hard to see other peoples problems in a reasonable light at times......I was a staff member down this morning - had to send her off to A & E - for a problem that should have taken her there 3 weeks ago ........ but she is the most fabulous and supportive lady and I know that will hate 'letting me down'....... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 9, 2015 Author Share Posted July 9, 2015 Thanks Sunnyday....not easy for tom or mon either...3 staff down...2 on leave until tues...plus sick member of staff....left us with 3 staff and our part-timer has helped us hugely by extending her hours fri and mon and covering today on her day off......we have worked like trojans past 2 days..with 2 to go before normality returns....and we dont close for the summer...so seriously thinking of treating my 3 members of staff for their stirling efforts these past 2 days.....it has been non stop ,where i always keep a spare member of staff above ratios we are working just above ratio......perhaps i will share out the wages i dont have to pay our sick member of staff....ideas ?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 9, 2015 Share Posted July 9, 2015 Yes, buy the other staff cake! or flowers, or whatever will tell them you really appreciate their hard work. In the past as a manager I have seethed when staff have been signed off with stress. I never, ever thought I would have to do the same. But when Mr G was seriously ill in hospital last year I had to be signed off. I tried to work all day, go straight to the hospital, get back home to endless (very caring phone calls that I really wanted) and then have just a sandwich at 10.30 at night when I had updated all the family. Then finally got to bed but kept waking at 4.00 a.m. It was really hard accepting that I could not keep going. I say all that not for sympathy, but to show how I had to re-think my attitudes. It was only when I experienced it for myself that I realized how people can be affected. It is soooo frustrating when you have to ensure you have enough staff, but few people take time off deliberately. Staff teams do generally become 'friends' after all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Thanks Gruffalo...hope you are all back to rights ....cake is a normal part of our day I am afraid...especially choc cake bars.....lol Will have think on it over the weekend....need a break,but have to open this a.m. at 7.45...instead of my usual Friday start of 9am....hey ho here we go.....xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Hi all......more probs.... staff member is now thinking of handing her notice in to improve her financial situation ( benefits kick in ?)....might need to ring Acas or ask you all as I try to do her wages next week.....is it sick pay,wages ...has ANYONE experienced this before please ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyfs1966 Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 what is your notice period? If you are going to make staff wait until the notice period has been completed then you must pay sick pay for period signed off, and they must then either return to work or get another sick note. You can however speak to the member of staff and ask them if they would prefer you to waive the notice period, in which case you can terminate the employment at that date with no sick pay thereafter. however, your staff member does need to be aware that they may not be immediately eligible for benefits as they are in essence giving up their employment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 Hi our notice period is a month but we are already thinking of asking her to leave within a week IF she comes in with her written notice....we also noted that benefits are not paid if you leave your job ...rather than be sacked or made redundant..so confusing..hate all this indecision..and the end of funding and the end of term......should be a relaxed enjoyable last couple of weeks for our children. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TORO Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Hello, why cant you claim Statutory sick pay back, with maternity, you can claim it back by paying less tax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 (edited) You can't anymore when the government were shouting about the saving on employers national insurance on TV they weren't shouting quite as loudly about the end of reclaiming ssp, ended Apr'14. Edited July 12, 2015 by Mouseketeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Yep found that out when checking the SSP....cant claim back....xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Oh crikey! That would have closed us down when I had to pay it out for 8 months and employ someone to cover her hours. At the time, we weren't paying enough tax between us to cover sick staff's wages, so the difference was paid to us by the taxman. We just didn't send in any tax for the period. Taxman was hugely helpful, as were the team at Moneysoft, the payroll software company. Yes, I think you need to have a chat with the helpful folk at Acas 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Me too...dont fancy it though...no letter of resignation today in letterbox...can only get more complicated Friday when I do the wages Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cait Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Honestly, don't panic about Acas. They are really, really nice and helpful. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emasi8624 Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Hi our notice period is a month but we are already thinking of asking her to leave within a week IF she comes in with her written notice....we also noted that benefits are not paid if you leave your job ...rather than be sacked or made redundant..so confusing..hate all this indecision..and the end of funding and the end of term......should be a relaxed enjoyable last couple of weeks for our children. I have had a couple of staff now that have left as they said they would receive more in benefits than they would working (they only wanted to work 16 hours max despite me offering more hours and pay rise, and were claiming as single parents) I know for a fact at least 2 of them said they were going to lie to job centre and say they were sacked... I never once had anyone contact me to check up on this and from what I have heard from other staff who are still friendly with them, they have done this and are claiming full benefits... I don't understand how all these systems work but surely there must be a way of them knowing they handed in their notice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 15, 2015 Author Share Posted July 15, 2015 Thanks for that..emasi8624.....little village....will make sure I ring job centre and inform them...what is worse is that we had made appointment for a tutor to come to us last week to book her onto her level 3...mjust be signed up by 31 Jul.....to start 1st September so she is also waiting....everything hinges on receiving her letter of resignation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Update...cannot get much worse I am afraid.....heard this morning from another member of staff 'bumped into' sick member of staff over the weekend.....stressed member of staff went for an interview at another nursery last thurs....please all pick your jaws up...lol....SHE HAS BEEN LOOKING FOR ANOTHER JOB while apparently suffering from stress and depression... Acas very helpful today...breach of contract.dont pay sick pay,get her keys and uniform back in 48hrs.... I dont want all this....feeling very angry now....she was a unemployed 18 year when i took her on last year....we spent a year helping her get her lev 2...just qualified......to feel slapped in the face by an ungrateful employee.......now have to regroup and sort out tomorrow.....when is it ever going to calm down... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lsp Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I know it's hard but try not to take it personally. She probably would have done the same to whoever she worked for. Onwards and upwards now, not a nice thing to deal with but start thinking about the wonderful new person you can employ instead! Where do we apply??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tish501 Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Thanks lsp,but debt ridden too and moving if job successful about 10 miles away....feel so disheartened, each teenager I have helped over the years has thrown their chance away...so different to my younger we were so grateful to be in work.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanne Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 You can't anymore when the government were shouting about the saving on employers national insurance on TV they weren't shouting quite as loudly about the end of reclaiming ssp, ended Apr'14. I saw this with horror at the weekend, & got our HR minded office manager to check it out - she checked with HMRC & we can get SSP back, though we now have to fill in a form to claim it directly (from inland revenue, I think), as opposed to getting it back by paying less tax. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mouseketeer Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) That's interesting can you give more info on this, I can't find anything to say that or which form you'd use now, It was (maybe still is) an sp32 if you weren't paying enough NI to deduct the ssp from, and I think you can reclaim previous tax year ssp via a form. Everything I find seems to say this: From 6th April 2014 employers will still be able to reclaim any SSP for previous years for an as yet unspecified ‘limited period’ providing they meet the above criteria; however no future reclaims will be possible. This means that all payments of SSP will have to be funded by employers. Edited July 21, 2015 by Mouseketeer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyanne Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 That's interesting can you give more info on this, I can't find anything to say that or which form you'd use now, It was (maybe still is) an sp32 if you weren't paying enough NI to deduct the ssp from, and I think you can reclaim previous tax year ssp via a form. Everything I find seems to say this: From 6th April 2014 employers will still be able to reclaim any SSP for previous years for an as yet unspecified ‘limited period’ providing they meet the above criteria; however no future reclaims will be possible. This means that all payments of SSP will have to be funded by employers. Having looked myself (yay, finished for summer now!), I agree with you and have to break this to the Directors at their next meeting as they are unlikely to know it if the office manager didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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