In Poland, as in other countries with a developed health insurance system, compulsory social insurance is applied in case of temporary disability and maternity. The conditions of payments for this insurance are briefly described in this article.

Compulsory and voluntary insurance for temporary disability and maternity is carried out by the State Insurance Institute (ZUS), as well as voluntary types – by insurance companies.

Compulsory social insurance at the State Insurance Institute (ZUS) takes into account the following conditions. The right to sick pay is acquired with a specified insurance or waiting period:

• after 30 days with compulsory insurance,
• after 90 days with voluntary insurance.

Previous periods of sickness insurance are included in the insurance period if the gap in insurance does not exceed 30 days or is caused by parental leave, unpaid leave or active military service. The waiting period also includes periods of receiving maternity benefits and participation in social insurance for farmers.

Without a waiting period, payments can be received by:

• school or university graduates,
• if the disability arose as a result of an accident on the way to or from work,
• members of parliament or senators,
• Customs Service employees,
• other cases.

Upon termination of work and termination of sickness insurance, sickness benefit for incapacity for work is paid if the incapacity for work lasted at least 30 days and occurred no later than:

• within 14 days from the end of sickness insurance,
• for 3 months for a disease whose symptoms last longer than 14 days, including infectious diseases.

However, the extension period cannot be longer than 91 days, with the exception of pregnant women, persons with tuberculosis, as well as persons whose incapacity for work is due to undergoing the necessary medical examinations of donor candidates.

The monthly sickness benefit is 80% of the calculated benefit base, including for the period of hospital stay. The amount of the benefit depends on the average salary of the insured person for the last 12 months (or for all months of work in the case of a shorter duration of work).

For full-time employees, the calculation base cannot be less than the minimum wage minus an amount corresponding to 13.71% of that wage. In 2023, the minimum sickness benefit base is:

• from January 1 to June 30 – PLN 3,011.52,
• from July 1 to December 31 – PLN 3,106.44.

The following persons are entitled to 100% of the sickness benefit base:

• Pregnant women,
• People who are involved in an accident on the way to or from work,
• Persons whose disability arose as a result of undergoing the necessary medical examinations of donor candidates.

ПSickness benefits can be received for the entire period of incapacity for work, but no more than:

• 182 days in case of illness,
• 270 days – if the disability is caused by tuberculosis or occurs during pregnancy.

This number includes both periods of permanent disability and previous periods – if they did not exceed 60 days – regardless of the type of disease.

After 182 days, a person who has exhausted the period of sickness benefit and is still unable to return to work, can apply for rehabilitation benefits. However, this amount can only be charged for a period of 12 months. After this period, permanent disability benefits may be issued.

An application for benefits is submitted by the employer in the case of persons working under an employment contract, on the basis of an e-ZLA medical certificate.