Sick Leave in Italy
In other countries, calling in ill as an employee is frequently a last choice since it is frowned upon by employers or jeopardizes your financial security. This is not the case in Italy. One of the various social security benefits available to employees covered by the public healthcare system in Italy is paid sick leave.
This tutorial will cover all the information regarding sick leave in Italy. When it applies, how much funding you receive, and what procedures must be followed.
Does Italy Have Paid Sick Leave?
A year is often the length of sick leave. The employee gets entirely paid throughout this period (by the employer or by Social Security). As per collective agreements, an employee typically has a further unpaid absence after this. For six months, they are eligible to receive 30% of their regular monthly salary (paid from Social Security).
How Much Is Sick Pay In italy?
Depending on the job classification and the employment contract, employee sick leave benefits in Italy may be exceptionally complicated. The conventional formula: For the first three days of sickness absence, employees are paid in full by their employers. (This decreases to 66 percent for the third and fourth yearly instances of sick leave, respectively, and 50 percent.)
Employees usually get a portion of their pay from both their company and the Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale (INPS), the Italian social security organization, starting on the fourth day of their sickness. This arrangement covers up to 180 paid sick days each year. In actuality, this equates to a total or nearly complete salary.
How Long May You Be Sick Before A Doctor’s Note Is Required?
After the fourth day, you’ll need to provide a doctor’s sick note certifying that your capacity to work has been diminished by at least 50% or more.
Steps To Call In Sick In Italy?
To receive all the benefits described above, you must follow the three steps below on how to call in sick in italy.
Inform Your Employer
When unable to work, you must notify your employer right away. Most businesses have a procedure that often entails telling your manager or the human resources division. There needs to be a specific legal form to fill out; you may phone, email, or text. In your initial few months of employment, it is ideal to inquire about the recommended strategy from your manager.
Go To A Doctor
You should see a doctor to determine the extent of your ailment and, if necessary, obtain a sick note.
Send A Sick Note To Employer And Health Insurance
There are three variants of the sick note. One copy is kept for your records, and three copies are sent out: one to your employer, one to your health insurance, and one without a diagnosis for your employer. The one for the employer and the health insurance will both be in bold characters.
To maintain your eligibility for sick pay, you must transmit the doctor’s letter to both parties as soon as possible and no later than one week after you become ill. Although sending an email to the employer is acceptable, it is preferable to present the actual document when you return to work. The majority of health insurance companies provide you the choice to submit a photo or scan of the doctor’s letter to your member area.
If you have private health insurance, you only need to let them know about your sick note if your tariff includes the entitlement to sick pay.
What Are You Allowed To Do During A Sick Leave In italy?
During your sick leave, you are free to engage in any activity that does not impede your recovery. Some examples of what you may accomplish are as follows:
- Take a walk
- Visit a grocery store.
- Visit the cinema
- If it aids your recovery, travel (e.g., a trip to the ocean or a place with thermal waters helps to recover from asthma or bronchitis)
If you and your employer decide you are well enough to work again, you can start your recovery before your sick leave expires.
It would be best if you weren’t spotted drinking excessively, partying, or engaging in extreme conduct.
Conclusion
This article should have made it clear that it is acceptable to be sick in Italy and not work. One of the numerous employee rights in Italy that makes it a desirable country to live and work in is paid sick leave.