sick pay: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B1-B2Formal to neutral, primarily used in professional, human resources, legal, and everyday workplace contexts.
Quick answer
What does “sick pay” mean?
Pay given by an employer to an employee who is absent from work due to illness.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Pay given by an employer to an employee who is absent from work due to illness.
A specific benefit, either statutory or contractual, that provides financial support during short-term illness; may also refer to schemes or policies governing such payments.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both varieties use the term. In the US, 'sick leave' (referring to the time off) is more common in general speech, but 'sick pay' is standard in HR/legal contexts. In the UK, 'sick pay' is the dominant term, with 'Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)' being a specific legal term.
Connotations
Neutral; denotes a standard employment right or benefit.
Frequency
More frequent in UK English. In US English, 'sick leave' or 'paid sick days' may be heard more often in casual conversation.
Grammar
How to Use “sick pay” in a Sentence
[Employee] is on sick pay.[Employer] offers [duration/amount] of sick pay.To qualify for sick pay, [condition].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sick pay” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A for the compound. One might 'be signed off sick' (verb phrase).
American English
- N/A for the compound. One might 'go on sick leave' (verb phrase).
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A. Used attributively: 'the sick-pay entitlement' (often hyphenated when pre-modifying).
American English
- N/A. Used attributively: 'sick pay benefits'.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
'The new policy extends sick pay to part-time employees.'
Academic
'The study examined the correlation between sick pay provisions and employee well-being.'
Everyday
'I've got a doctor's note, so I should get sick pay for this week.'
Technical
'SSP is payable from the fourth qualifying day of absence.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sick pay”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sick pay”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sick pay”
- Using it as a countable noun (e.g., 'I got a sick pay'). Incorrect. ✅ 'I got sick pay.'
- Confusing 'sick pay' (money) with 'sick leave' (the time off). They are related but distinct concepts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are separate benefits. Holiday pay (or vacation pay) is for planned time off, while sick pay is for unplanned absence due to illness.
Not automatically. It depends on national law (e.g., Statutory Sick Pay in the UK) and the individual employment contract. Many part-time, casual, or gig economy workers may not be eligible.
'Sick leave' refers to the authorised period of absence from work due to illness. 'Sick pay' refers specifically to the money received during that absence. You can be on sick leave with or without sick pay.
It is often calculated as a percentage of your normal wage (e.g., 100% or 80%) or as a fixed statutory rate set by the government, usually for a limited number of weeks per year.
Pay given by an employer to an employee who is absent from work due to illness.
Sick pay is usually formal to neutral, primarily used in professional, human resources, legal, and everyday workplace contexts. in register.
Sick pay: in British English it is pronounced /ˌsɪk ˈpeɪ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌsɪk ˈpeɪ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To be on the sick (UK, informal, refers to receiving sickness benefits, not exclusively sick pay)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: When you're SICK, your employer still PAYs you (partially or fully). It's PAY for when you're SICK.
Conceptual Metaphor
ILLNESS IS AN ECONOMIC LOSS (mitigated by the employer/society).
Practice
Quiz
What is the most precise meaning of 'sick pay'?