Holiday Sickness Claims: What You Need to Know
What happens when you get sick when you’re on holiday? Here we look at a number of tips that you’ll want to consider should you fall ill during your break.
We all look forward to them, a break from the old routine. Somewhere the sun can actually be guaranteed, or a place that we’ve been longing to visit for many years and have finally got round to going? For some though, it is simply a case of getting away from work, not having to get up for that commute, and being able to engage in anything you want to, even if that’s nothing – it is after all your holiday.
But what happens when you get sick when you’re on holiday? Here we look at a number of tips that you’ll want to consider and moreover a few things that you may never have thought of, such as a holiday sickness claim, or what are your rights if your planned absence from work actually coincides with a period of sickness?
The Package
If your break is a package holiday and you fall sick, you’ll probably have a lot more rights than you realised. The best place to start is to report it to your rep and they’ll have the practical information regarding pharmacy locations or even hospitals etc. You should also immediately contact your travel insurer to see the extent of your cover.
Independent Travellers
Start again with your insurers and your hotel, and be guided. It is something that has probably happened with them many times, even if it is your first time. When travelling you’ll only regret not having the best insurance cover should you need to use it.
Either way, be it a package or an independent holiday, make sure that you document all of the events, say by keeping a contemporaneous diary, and certainly keep all of your documents together. If you are looking to reclaim your expenses, then you will be better served to produce copies of the same. You might also be entitled to make a holiday sickness claim, for your loss of enjoyment to cover your suffering and expenses too.
And Being Sick Whilst On Leave
People are working so hard that they often fight through illnesses etc. to ensure that they can keep getting to the office. However, it is often the case that the moment they relax, that they suddenly fall foul of a virus or illness. The question is whether or not they can do anything about this? It isn’t a holiday sickness claim per se, but a claim for sickness whilst on holiday from work.
ACAS has found that there is confusion abound around this subject. What happens when prearranged statutory leave coincides with sick leave? Employees are in fact able to take their holiday leave another time and if they remain sick until the end of the holiday year, it can in fact carry over. You can also build up your holiday entitlement whilst off work sick, and if you want to go on holiday whilst on sick leave, you are able to do so. However, if holiday leave is converted to sick leave, it may mean that the employee is only entitled to sick leave levels of pay.
So if you are going on holiday and fall sick, you have many things to think about, firstly how to carry on the holiday or get home, and thereafter once home whether or not you wish to make a holiday sickness claim. If you are simply off work “on holiday” at a time you fall sick you may be able to change the type of leave. It is always best to be open with your employer and also keep documentation in support of any claim that you may be making in the future. It is hoped that all holidays go well and create good memories, for those that do not, there is still some things that you can think about doing.