At the age of 23, I received a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. This news came as a sudden shock, leading to a prescribed five-week radiotherapy regimen at a specialized facility for young individuals. The treatment required me to commute 40 miles daily to the hospital.
Given the draining treatment side effects and the considerable time spent commuting, parking, and waiting at the hospital, it became unfeasible to sustain my employment at a prominent supermarket chain. Consequently, I had to take an extended leave of absence.
In such challenging times, one hopes for unwavering support from their employer. Regrettably, the sick pay provisions in the UK proved to be insufficient for individuals like me. Initially, I received only two weeks of paid sick leave from my employer before transitioning to statutory sick pay (SSP) for several months, providing compensation at a rate equivalent to less than £3 per hour for a full-time employee.
Navigating through this difficult period was arduous. Fortunately, my partner, family, and friends offered invaluable support, supplemented by assistance from organizations like Young Lives vs Cancer.
Reflecting on my experience and interactions with others through initiatives such as the Safe Sick Pay campaign, I’ve encountered individuals who received no sick pay during their treatment, underscoring the inadequacy of the current system. Furthermore, inadequate sick pay adversely affects individuals requiring time off for minor illnesses, particularly impacting shift workers who risk losing a substantial portion of their income.
The recent efforts to impede the implementation of day one sick pay rights through the Employment Rights Bill by certain members of the House of Lords are concerning. Denying day one sick pay entitlements and neglecting support for low-income earners is unjust. These proposed reforms simply advocate for the fundamental provision of support to enable individuals to recuperate and return to work safely.
In many other regions globally, including most of Europe, access to such support is considered a basic entitlement. Therefore, I join other affected workers in urging the House of Lords to uphold justice and pass the bill, ushering in essential strides towards a more equitable sick pay framework benefiting millions of individuals.