Case Scenario 1
Employee has worked for same company for over 21 years. The company is a small family run business in the Service Sector. The company operates legally within the SSP system and does not have an Occupational Sickness system in place. The employee is classed as a key worker within the business. The company has one other employee working in the office as an administrator.
On my own personal experience I half expected from reading up on the signs and symptoms of my own illness that I was about to be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer so when I got the results it was of no great shock to be told that I indeed have cancer of the prostate. It was also explained to me that my Cancer was of a very nasty nature and was inoperable. I was immediately started on a course of Hormone Therapy and told that I would be on the Hormone therapy for approximately 2.5 years.
It was also explained that I would have to undergo a Radiotherapy plan and thereafter would continue with the Hormone Therapy and regular review appointments at the cancer centre.
During the course of 2011 and up to my last Radiotherapy session on Thursday 5th January 2012 I had to undergo numerous appointments for tests, such as DRE, Cystectomy, Biopsy, various scans, Green Light Laser Surgery on the prostate prior to commencing the Radiotherapy Treatment Plan and the insertion of three gold seeds into the prostate to enable the Radiographers to target the cancer accurately.
This involved being away from my office for sometimes, a couple of hours, and other times meant half days and full days. The Green Light Laser Surgery involved being in hospital for 1 day and then anything up to 1 week to convalesce.
The Radiotherapy Treatment Plan was for 37 daily sessions and would allowing for travel time and time taken for the session mean being away from the office for around 1 hour to 1.5 hours each day.
Due to the fact the company operated only within the SSP scheme and my time off with the exception of the time I would be in hospital for the Green Light Laser Surgery would only be for half days, full days and once on the Radiotherapy Sessions my case did not fit the legislative qualifying criteria to be paid under the SSP scheme.
I could not afford to have all the time off as unpaid (this was very worrying for both myself and my family) I had to make the decision that my time off would be covered by using up some of my holiday entitlement.
Statutory Annual Leave for an employee.
28 Days including 8 public holidays
Hospital Appointments for tests, biopsies and implants 16 days
Hospital to have Green Light Laser Surgery Unpaid
1 weeks holiday in between appointments 5 Days
Company Close down for Xmas & New Year 7 Days
During the company’s Xmas & New Year closure I still had to attend the hospital for my Radiotherapy Sessions.
I had two options on how to cover the time off for my Radiotherapy Sessions.
Or
Part III to follow
