CVS to increase company sick pay for staff

Staff at CVS Group will be offered up to eight weeks’ full pay in circumstances of an exceptional health event under changes to its sick pay policy.

Company sick pay is usually around two weeks at full pay, while the UK’s statutory sick pay covers employees for up to 28 weeks at £99.35 a week.

CVS said its new policy would be available on a discretionary basis to all its colleagues with at least six months’ continuous service affected by a serious illness or a health condition requiring hospitalisation, major surgery or debilitating treatment.

New policy

In what it believes is a “veterinary industry first”, CVS said its new policy would also apply to major surgery as part of gender transition.

Helen Finney, group HR director at CVS Group, said: “The current economic climate means our colleagues may be feeling particularly concerned about pay in the unfortunate event they need to take an exceptionally longer period of time off due to a health event. So this policy helps provide comfort.

“This new policy will further help us to look after our colleagues’ financial, physical and mental well-being, and is all part of us striving to be the veterinary company people most want to work for.”

Share payout

The announcement comes just a day after CVS revealed 600 of its employees would be sharing a £2.3 million payout for having invested in its Save As You Earn share scheme.

In January, it also announced a health cash plan for colleagues, while it has also introduced staff discounts on CVS products and services, and well-being support through a 300-strong well-being champion network.

Last week, in a trading update, it announced an 8.2% rise in revenues and 7.5% increase in like-for-like sales in the half year to 31 December 2022, and said “current trading remains in line with market expectations for the full year”.

It has 500 practices in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands, and has invested £80 million on its sites in the past five years.