25,861

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

Lisa Brownlee
Rhiannon Tibenda
Sean Patrick Mcadam
Ibrar Ahmed Awan
Lewis Richardson
Zeba Sophia Din
Suzanne Blamires
Wisdom Atiase
David Gascoyne
Renate Jephcott
Vrunda Pandya
Debbie Grant
Paula Derry
Tabitha Nicholls
Denise Coke
Ian Brown
Melanie Nichols
Rasheed Mattar
Tim Hext-Stephens
Jean Williamson
Cynthia Claire Chadwick
Rupert Waldron
Valerie Busby
Kerry Bretter
Sue White
Caroline Catterall
Victoria Bass
Stephen Candy
Sarah Tallon
Joanne Woolley
Marites Canillas
Ann Muldoon
William Sayce
Donna Compton
Shakil Ahmed Younis
Ben Ferre
Jacqueline Butcher
Aisha Ismail
William Gilmour
Emily Blythe
David Marriott, Retired Civil Servant
Brian Bolton
Amanda Carlile
Tracy Phelps
Helena Kirk
Agnieszka Kamerolli
Elaine Manners
Simon Lee
Karen Hart
Kalman Nemeth

Safe sick pay for workers now!

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