There is no legal obligation to pay more than SSP. But many employers have their own sick pay schemes which replace or top up SSP, details of which will be set out in the contract of employment and/or company handbook. Typically these will provide full pay for a period, possibly up to six months, followed by half pay for another period. This kind of scheme can obviously be expensive, but it helps with recruitment and retention, and may be a factor when trying to retain the services of a valued employee.
