25,866

of 50,000 signatures

To Liz Kendall, Secretary of State for the Department of Work and Pensions and Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health

The Problem: Nearly 2 million UK workers can't get sick pay because they don't earn enough. Even those who get sick pay find it too low at £116.75 a week, starting only from the 4th day of illness, meaning workers often can't afford to take time off and may face punishment for being sick.

Workers should not have to face the tough choice between our health and earning enough to live.

The current sick pay system jeopardises the health of all working people and puts added strain on the NHS. 87% of Organise members admitted going into work while sick and 84% of us have got a cold or other illness while at work. Increasing numbers of workers being sick is not only bad for the economy but damaging to workers' short term recovery and long term health and wellbeing. Many workers simply cannot afford to take time off work and in some cases face disciplinary action when they are off sick.

Open letter text

Dear Liz Kendall,

New data has shown that over 96% of us could not support ourelves and our familie on only £116.75 week. This issue cannot be ignored any longer.

Workers desperately need a change to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) legislation so that:
👉🏽 Everyone is eligible for sick pay - by removing the earnings threshold
👉🏽People receive sick pay from day 1 rather than day 4, and
👉🏽Workers can afford to take the time off, by increasing SSP so that it is in line
with a worker’s wages.

Fixing sick pay would create more flexibility for employers, and prevent those in low-paid and precarious work from being forced out entirely.

With the cost-of-living crisis, our flawed sick pay system is putting millions at risk. We urge you to pass new laws to make sick pay better for everyone. This will create a safer, healthier work environment and support workers in need.

Notes:
Organise survey: Safe sick pay survey https://the.organise.network/surveys/safe-sick-pay-survey

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Signers list

Karen Rogers
Paula White
John Gibbons
Marilyn Best
Karen Timperley
Andrew Garrett
Michael Blackwell
Chloe Onyeaka
Galina Kuzeva
Darren Burkinshaw
Linda Gibson
Kimberley Rees
Jane Charlotte Oliver Simpson
Tanveer Anjum
Kamil Galaszek
Olive Mckeever
John Lubran
James Harrison
Thomas Keyton
Laura Daniel
Paul Cross
Lisa Sellick
Susie Cooper
Claire Parkman
Valerie Lock
Stephen Blackman
Steve Jarvis
Trisha Lane
Lyndsay Grassler
Alec Tappenden
Paulo Corria
Christopher Lewis
Lucie Bond
Ibrahim Sesay
Laura Wallbridge
Peter Bergelin
Peter Donegan
Lynne Bradley
Tracey Simmons
Patricia Reilly
Steven Thomson
Charlotte Woolley
Daniel Adams
Angela Kazimierczuk
Habibah Maljee
Alison Meredith
Ghalib Hassan
Caroline Willis
Shah
Kasia Kaczmarska

Safe sick pay for workers now!

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