You call in sick and immediately feel stressed. “Will I still get paid now?”
Many young people with a side job or part-time job think that they are not entitled to pay while sick. That is often not true.
In this blog we clearly explain when you are entitled to pay while sick, what employers may and may not do and what you can do if you are not paid.
As a part-timer, are you entitled to sick pay?
Yes, in many cases you are.
Even if you:
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are a student
-
work part-time
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have a side job
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have a zero-hours contract
you are simply an employee.And employees are in principle entitled to continued pay during illness
.
How much pay do you get when you are sick?
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In most cases, the following applies:at least
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70% of your paysometimes 100%
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(depending on collective labour agreement or contract)usually for up to
2 yearsFor young people and in part-time jobs, this is often incorrectly
applied or completely ignored.
Sick under a zero-hours contract or on-call contract
This often goes wrong here as well.
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Are you sick on a day when you:
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were scheduled?
would normally work?Then you often have right to wages
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, based on:
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your average hours
the legal presumption of working hours“Then we’ll just stop scheduling you” is not a valid solution
.
Can an employer stop paying during illness?
Not just like that.
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An employer may only stop paying wages (in part) if:
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you do not adhere to sick leave rules
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you do not cooperate with checks
you hinder your recovery
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But:
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sick = sick
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“we don’t believe it” is not a reasoncalling in sick is allowed
should not be punished
Calling in sick and dismissal: is that allowed?Dismissal due to illness is in principle not allowed
.
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Certainly not:
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immediately after reporting sick
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via an app message
by no longer calling you inThis often happens with young people, but legally very vulnerable
.
What if the employer says: “We don’t pay when you’re sick”?
We often hear that with side jobs.But: an internal rule or “this is how we do it here” is not above the law
.If you are an employee, statutory rules apply
.
What should you do if you don’t get paid when you’re sick?
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Follow this step-by-step plan:Report your sickness correctly
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(follow the rules)Keep evidence
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(messages, schedules)
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Check your contract and collective labor agreement
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Request your pay in writing
Have this reviewed to see if it’s correct
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If payment is still outstanding, you can:
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claim wages
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demand back pay
sometimes receive extra compensation
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Common mistakes young people make
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thinking that illness is “own risk”
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not daring to call in sick
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not keeping proof
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agreeing to non-payment
waiting too long
That often costs money unnecessarily.
Are you unsure whether you are entitled to pay when sick?
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Are you:
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student
-
part-timer
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on-call worker
young person with a side joband do you get no pay during illness
?Then have it checked
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. Often it turns out that:
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the employer is in the wrong
-
you are entitled to pay
reporting sick has unjust consequences
