A revolution is being prepared in sick pay. The government confirms the changes

The bill assuming the liquidation of sick pay and the transfer of financing the sickness benefit to ZUS returns to the legislative path. Although until recently there were reports that work on it was frozen, the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy confirmed that the trial was still going on.

Sick pay

The current system provides that The employer pays for the first 33 days of the diseaseand only from the 34th day the benefit is paid by ZUS. Planned changes are to transfer this obligation in its entirety to the Social Insurance Fund from the first day of dismissal. This is one of the provisions of the government’s coalition agreement.

The ministry emphasizes that this solution must be associated with other reforms – especially in the field of medical case -law and checking the correctness of the use of exemptions. This is to guarantee the financial stability of the system and reduce the risk of abuse.

Reform announcement

The reform announcement appeared in August 2024 in the list of legislative works of the government. However, the project regarding changes in medical certificate did not include the provisions on the takeover of payments by ZUS, which is why a separate document was prepared along with the assessment of the effects of the regulation. The project was adopted by the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers and is waiting for the decision of the Economic Committee. After its acceptance, he will go to inter -ministerial arrangements and public consultations.

The scale of the problem is large – in 2024 ZUS registered 27.4 million sick leavewhich meant as much as 290 million days of sickness absence. Their cost was PLN 31 billion.

The ministry emphasizes that the implementation of new rules of financing absenteeism is to be part of a wider reform and will not take place without additional security. The final decision to accept the project belongs to the Council of Ministers.