As you will be aware the Statutory Sick Pay (General) (Coronavirus Amendment) Regulations 2020 have been made and came into force on Friday 13th March 2020.
They provide that SSP will be available to anyone isolating themselves from other people in such a manner as to prevent infection or contamination with coronavirus, in accordance with guidance published by Public Health England, NHS Scotland or Public Health Wales.
As far as I am aware, the anticipated Regulations providing that SSP will be payable from day 1 (not day 4), and allowing employers to reclaim the cost from the government, have not yet been published. However, it has been announces and therefore we understand that you should be paying SSP from Day 1 and will be able to reclaim the first 14 days from the Government, logically through an off-set against Employers’ NI contributions although this has not been set out so do not rely on this as guidance.
This applies to employees self-isolating in relation to Coronavirus and not to other illnesses.