“On TikTok they said you could.” Experts warn against myths about L4
Four months have just passed since the entry into force of the new L4 regulations. Experts indicate that they are misinterpreted on social media.
In mid-April, new regulations regarding L4 came into force. They regulate what you can and cannot do while on sick leave. Meanwhile, as Conperio, a consulting company specializing in sickness absence, notes, a few months after the changes came into force, a wave of simplified and erroneous interpretations of the new regulations appeared on social media.
The most common myths about L4
The myths most frequently repeated on social media include:
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that since April there has been a “revolution” in the rules of using L4,
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that the new regulations have significantly expanded the list of permitted activities during sick leave,
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that you can now legally work for another employer during L4.
Conperio experts emphasize that many such messages are too far-reaching simplification or simply do not comply with applicable regulations. – TikTok is not a source of employment law. Meanwhile, we observe that for some employees short films are becoming the basic source of knowledge about what they can do during L4. The problem is that the Internet rewards simple and catchy messages, and the regulations can be much more complex – says Mikołaj Zając, labor market expert and president of the consulting company Conperio.
Experts indicate that the regulations in force since April clarify in many areas issues that previously raised doubts in interpretation. Importantly, the basic principle has not changed: performing paid work during L4 may still result in the loss of the right to benefits for the entire period of leave.
– You can find materials online suggesting that previously an employee on L4 could not go to the pharmacy or do basic shopping. That’s not true. Such activities were also permissible earlier, as long as they were consistent with the purpose of the release and did not impede the treatment process. The new regulations did not create new law here, but arranged and clarified the applicable rules – explains the head of Conperio.
Can you work for another employer while on sick leave?
One of the most frequently repeated myths is the belief that you can currently work for another employer while on sick leave. – Such regulations are not yet in force. This shows how easy it is to confuse announcements of changes with applicable law on social media – summarizes Mikołaj Zając.
