Where the Department considers that it is reasonable for information held by the Department to be disclosed to an employer, for the purpose of enabling that employer to determine the duration of a period of entitlement under Part XI of the Contributions and Benefits Act in respect of an employee, or whether such a period exists, the Department may disclose the information to that employer.
(1)Regulations may make provision requiring an employer, in a case falling within subsection (3) below to furnish information in connection with the making, by a person who is, or has been, an employee of that employer, of a claim for—
(a)sickness benefit;
(b)a maternity allowance;
(c)an invalidity pension under section 33, 40 or 41 of the Contributions and Benefits Act;
(d)industrial injuries benefit; or
(e)a severe disablement allowance.
(2)Regulations under this section shall prescribe—
(a)the kind of information to be furnished in accordance with the regulations;
(b)the person to whom information of the prescribed kind is to be furnished; and
(c)the manner in which, and period within which, it is to be furnished.
(3)The cases are—
(a)where, by virtue of paragraph 2 of Schedule 11 to the Contributions and Benefits Act or of regulations made under paragraph 1 of that Schedule, a period of entitlement does not arise in relation to a period of incapacity for work;
(b)where a period of entitlement has come to an end but the period of incapacity for work which was running immediately before the period of entitlement came to an end continues; and
(c)where a period of entitlement has not come to an end but, on the assumption that—
(i)the period of incapacity for work in question continues to run for a prescribed period; and
(ii)there is no material change in circumstances,
the period of entitlement will have ended on or before the end of the prescribed period.
(4)Regulations—
(a)may require employers to maintain such records in connection with statutory sick pay as may be prescribed;
(b)may provide for—
(i)any person claiming to be entitled to statutory sick pay; or
(ii)any other person who is a party to proceedings arising under Part XI of the Contributions and Benefits Act,
to furnish to the Department, within a prescribed period, any information required for the determination of any question arising in connection therewith; and
(c)may require employers who have made payments of statutory sick pay to furnish to the Department such documents and information, at such times, as may be prescribed.