Compares sick leave policies across Europe, detailing varying rules on payment duration and employer/state contributions.
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Different European countries have varying rules regarding sick leave, with some making the first day unpaid, such as Romania, which has since made exceptions for chronically ill or emergency cases. These regulations are set nationally, not by the EU. France has a complex system where the state pays 50% of average salary (up to €41 daily), and the employer tops it up to 90% for the first month, then 66%. Spain offers benefits from the fourth to twentieth day at 60% of the base, increasing to 75% after the twenty-first day. Austria’s benefit duration depends on company tenure, with initial pay continuing until a certain point before health insurance takes over. In Poland, the employer pays for the first 33 days, and ZUS covers the rest at 80% of average salary, with a maximum paid leave period of 182 days annually. Recent Polish changes clarify that sick individuals can perform normal daily activities or incidental tasks like taking children to preschool, making it harder to deny benefits unless there is a direct negative impact on recovery. Furthermore, doctors can now approve receiving sick pay from one job while working at another with the commissioner’s consent. Experts suggest focusing on better application of existing rules rather than stricter controls. While some countries have high rates of absenteeism (like France), others point to systemic issues such as healthcare strain and mental health problems as underlying causes for increased sick leave usage.
