An NHS cleaner took 400 sick days in four years, raising questions about sick leave laws in the UK. Here’s what you need to know.
Royal Lancaster: So, a cleaner from the NHS made headlines recently. She took 400 sick days over four years. That’s a lot, right? But it’s not just about the numbers.
Her name is Zoe Kitching, and she had some serious mental health issues. After being fired, she won £50,000 for unfair dismissal. That’s a big deal!
It turns out her employer didn’t recognize her as disabled, even though she was. This raises a lot of questions about how sick leave is handled in the UK.
Now, you might wonder how many sick days people usually take. In 2022, around 185.6 million working days were lost due to sickness. That’s a huge number!
And in 2023/24, about 33.7 million days were lost because of work-related injuries or illnesses. Long Covid is a big factor in this, with millions affected.
Also, mental health issues are on the rise. In 2022, around 313,000 people were on long-term sick leave for mental health reasons. That’s really concerning.
So, how many sick days can you actually take? There’s no legal limit in the UK. Each employer has their own rules, but they must treat employees fairly.
Statutory sick pay is £109.40 a week for up to 28 weeks. But if you take too many sick days, your employer might investigate. It’s a tricky balance.
Always take time off when you’re unwell, but make sure you know your employer’s policies. It’s important to stay informed!
