sick pay

American  

noun

1. wages or other compensation received from an employer during an illness.

---

sick pay British  

noun

1. wages paid to an employee while he is on sick leave

---

Other Word Forms

• sick-pay
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of sick pay

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sick pay

The union has accused the carmaker of poor working conditions, withholding sick pay and covert redundancies, all enabled by the lack of a collective agreement to protect workers.

From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026

The Employment Rights Act will give workers access to sick pay and paternity leave from the first day on the job and introduce new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.

From BBC ● Jan. 7, 2026

It will give workers access to sick pay and paternity leave from the first day on the job and contains new protections for pregnant women and new mothers.

From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2025

It includes measures such as giving workers the right to sick pay and parental leave from their first day in a job, banning "exploitative" zero-hour contracts and strengthening the right to request flexible working.

From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025

The labourer ought, in their eyes, to be treated as a public servant, and his sick pay and his pension ought both to be commensurate with the claims and dignity of honest labour.

From Contemporary Socialism by Rae, John