WHEN the government's new Social Security regulations come into eftect on 14 September life is going to get decidedly harder for us all especially for. those unfortunate enough to fall sick.
Under the new regulations entitlement sickness benefit will not begin until the fourth day or sickness, ralner lan tre third day as at present. In addition doctors will not be obliged to issue free national health sickness certificates until • fou days of sickness — so if your boss wants a certificate for two days of ill-. ness then you'll just have this weren't enough, the Tories' Green 'Income during initial sickness', would make things even worse. This proposes that employers, rather than the state, should be responsible for payments in the first eight of sickness. The rationale presented for this is that it will make the taxing benefits easier and cut costs.
The costs will be cut because une proposes a flat rate sickness payment of f30 per week, regardless of family size. And just to punish the low paid, those already on £30, or less, will only get 75 per cent of their usual wage.
riany, Just lo rub sall in the wound, while the employer is paying the sick worker their National Insurance contributions will •oc.cul, the workers contribution rate will remain the same.
Responses to the Green Paper can be submitted up to 30 September. Already many unions and pressure groups have condemned 21NO| rejecica ine Green Make sure that yours does too.