Statutory Sick Pay extended to ‘Test and Trace’ individuals

In accordance with The Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2020, which come into effect today, entitlement to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) will now extend to those who have been told to self-isolate under the new NHS ‘Test and Trace’ system.

The ‘Test and Trace’ system, which goes live today, will notify individuals who have been in close contact with someone who tests positive for Covid-19. Even if that individual does not display symptoms, they will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days and will be entitled to SSP for that period. If a notified individual starts developing symptoms, they should book a test. According to government guidance, the 14-day self-isolation period will continue to apply even if the test comes back negative, as the virus may not be detectable yet.

The notification provided by the ‘Test and Trace’ system can be used as evidence that an individual has been told to self-isolate. This notification can be shared with an employer or an education provider, for example.

The Employment team will continue to monitor and report on the situation as it develops. If you have any questions, please contact Linky Trott, or any member of the Employment team.

To review our previous Covid-19 related updates, please click here.

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