In the event of an illness, accident or other medical condition that prevents you from working, you may need to justify your absence from work. Many people confuse these two documents, without realizing that each one has its own specific characteristics and consequences.
If you’ve ever wondered which one to use in different situations, or if you want to be aware of your rights in relation to sickness benefit, you’re in the right place to clear up your doubts
What sick leave is and how it works
Sick leave is a support measure that allows workers to be absent from work for health reasons without losing all their income. To do this, you need to obtain a Temporary Incapacity Certificate (CIT), issued by a health professional from the National Health Service (SNS), which serves as proof of temporary incapacity for work. This document must be given to the employer and is transmitted electronically to Social Security, which is responsible for processing the sickness benefit.
Is sick leave the same as a medical certificate?
No. Both are commonly confused, but have different purposes. While a doctor’s certificate is used to justify occasional absences of up to three days, without entitling you to an allowance, sick leave applies when the incapacity for work exceeds this period, ensuring partial remuneration for absences from the fourth day onwards.
You can also choose to make an appointment by telephone. To do this, contact the Health Center where you are registered and indicate your User Number. If you don’t know which center you are registered with, call the SNS 24 line: 808 24 24 24. This is useful for those who don’t have digital access or prefer to make an appointment in the traditional way.
Temporary Incapacity Certificate (CIT): what it is
The CIT is the official document that confirms the need for sick leave. It is issued by SNS doctors and is only valid with the professional’s signature and the institution’s authentication. This certificate can be issued at Health Centers, Hospitals and Permanent Attendance Services (SAP).
Types of sick leave
There are different types of sick leave, depending on the worker’s specific situation:
- Ordinary sick leave: applied when the worker is unable to work due to a temporary illness
- Long-term sick leave: valid for long-term or chronic illnesses
- Psychiatric leave: issued for mental health conditions that prevent the performance of duties.
Who is entitled to sick leave?
- Employees with social security contributions, including domestic service
- Self-employed workers who issue green receipts or are sole proprietors
- Voluntary Social Security beneficiaries on foreign ships or research fellows
- Beneficiaries of pensions for accidents at work or occupational diseases who work and pay contributions
- Home workers
- Recipients of compensation pensions who work and pay contributions
- Pre-retirement beneficiaries who continue to work and pay contributions
- Invalidity or old-age pensioners in public service, not receiving a pension
- Beneficiaries with compensation for accidents at work or occupational diseases who work and pay contributions, with compensation lower than the sickness benefit.
How much does a consultation at the Health Center cost?
How to request sick leave
Sick leave is issued exclusively by authorized entities, such as:
- NHS health centers (generally by family doctors)
- Hospitals (except emergency services)
- Permanent Assistance Services (SAP)
- Drug addiction prevention and treatment services.
What if you need transportation to go to a health unit to claim your sick leave? You can count on Ambula to take you there safely.
Where can I check my sick leave?
On the SNS 24 Portal, in the “Personal Area” you can consult various details of sick leave, such as:
- Start and end date
- Record type
Disease classification - Health unit of record.
Sickness benefit: how much and how is it paid?
The amount of sick pay is calculated on the basis of the worker’s reference pay and the length of sick leave. The percentage to be received varies according to the length of the sick leave:
- Up to 30 days: 55% of reference pay
- From 31 to 90 days: 60%
- From 91 to 365 days: 70%
- More than 365 days: 75%.
This allowance is intended for workers who have paid their Social Security contributions for six months and does not cover the first three days of sick leave for dependent workers, or the first ten days in the case of self-employed workers. There are exceptions where payment is immediate, such as in cases of hospitalization or tuberculosis.
You can consult Social Security’s Practical Guide to Sickness Benefit.
Ambula: support during recovery
Do you need safe and comfortable transportation during your recovery?
The most frequently asked questions about sick leave
In the case of serious illnesses such as cancer or tuberculosis, there may be a 100% payment, depending on the Social Security assessment.
The sick leave can last up to 1,095 days for dependent workers and 365 for self-employed workers, with an unlimited duration for cases of tuberculosis.
Psychiatric leave is treated like ordinary sick leave, with percentages between 55% and 75%, depending on the duration.
As a rule, the family doctor is the one who issues the document. As of March 1, 2024, sick leave can be obtained from public, private and social sector entities.
No, sick time does not count towards unemployment benefit.
Yes, Social Security can ask the worker to undergo medical examinations to prove the need for sick leave.
Not recommended. During sick leave, you may only leave the house to receive treatment or within specific hours, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with the authorization of your family doctor. This authorization must be recorded in the CIT.
Payment of sick leave usually takes between 15 and 30 days after the CIT is submitted to Social Security. In special situations such as hospitalization, outpatient surgery or tuberculosis, support can be paid from the first day of sick leave.
Sick leave must be submitted to the employer at least five days in advance. If the employee is unable to meet this deadline, they must submit the document as soon as possible. In the event of an absence of 10 days without justification, the employer may initiate dismissal proceedings for just cause.
There is no associated cost.
