Sick leave

Scale of allowance

SHO’s absent from duty owing to illness, injury or other disability receive the following sick leave allowance:

¨ During the first year of service: one months’ full pay and (after completing four months’  service) two months’ half pay.

¨ During the second year of service: two months’ full pay and two months’ half pay.

¨ During the third year of service: four months’ full pay and four months’ half pay.

¨ During the fourth and fifth years of service: five months’ full pay and five months’ half pay.

¨ After completing five years service: six months’ full pay and six months’ half pay.

 

Pay includes salary supplement.

 

Extension of these  allowances are at the employers discretion in exceptional circumstances. SHO’s should also seek independent financial advice on income protection.

 

Limitation of allowance when insurance or other benefit is payable

Sickness allowance, when added to sickness benefit, severe disablement allowance, invalidity benefit, statutory sick pay, compensation payment or other social benefits receivable, may not exceed the SHO’s normal salary for the period and the occupational sick leave allowance is restricted accordingly.

 

Notification of sickness

A SHO who is incapable of working because of illness should immediately notify their  employer under the circumstances specified by the employer. If the sickness absence continues beyond the third calendar day, the doctor must submit a statement of the nature of the illness within the first seven calendar days of absence. Further statements must be submitted to cover any absence extending beyond the first seven calendar days. They should take the form of medical certificates completed by a doctor. Exceptionally the employer may require statements to be submitted at more frequent intervals.

 

A SHO admitted to hospital must submit a doctors’ statement on entry and on discharge in substitution for periodical statements. However, if the period of absence is less than seven calendar days, only a self– certificate is required.

 

Injury sustained on duty

It is essential that any injury that have resulted as a result of duty is recorded at the first opportunity in the accident book or other mechanism for recording adverse incidents that may be in place.

 

Termination of employment

When a SHO is receiving the sick leave allowance at the time of expiry of their contract in a regular appointment, the allowance continues to be paid during the illness after the contract would have been terminated, subject to the maximum entitlement. See scale of allowances above.

 

Accident due to sport or negligence

Sickness allowance is not paid in a case of accident due to active participation in sport as a profession or in a case in which contributory negligence is proved, unless the employer decides otherwise.

 

Recovering damages from a third party

A SHO who is absent as a result of an accident is not entitled to an allowance if damages are recoverable from a third party. The employer may advance to the SHO a sum not exceeding sickness allowance which would have been payable, subject to the SHO undertaking to refund any damages received. Where a refund is made in full, the period of absence does not count against the sick leave entitlement.

 

Medical examination

The employer may at any time require a SHO who is unable to perform their duties as a result of illness to submit to an examination by a doctor nominated by the employer.