Can I leave the house on sick leave (L4)?
It depends: ordinary activities yes, work and abuse — no. On sick leave (L4) you may carry out ordinary daily activities: going to the pharmacy, doing the shopping, a walk, a doctor's appointment or picking up children from school — provided you use the leave in line with its purpose (recovery). Prohibited, however, is performing gainful work — including remote work, civil-law contracts and your own business — and using the leave against its purpose (e.g. an intensive renovation, going on holiday, taking part in sports competitions). Leave is checked by the employer and ZUS; from 13 April 2026 ZUS inspectors have explicit powers to enter and verify identity. Breaching the rules risks loss of benefit.
📋 The rules
- Allowed: ordinary activities — pharmacy, shopping, walk, doctor
- Gainful work banned — also remote and civil-law contracts
- No using the leave against its purpose
- Checks by the employer and ZUS
- From 13 April 2026: broader ZUS inspector powers
🔓 Exceptions
- Incidental activities required by important circumstances: allowed
- Rehabilitation and treatment ordered by a doctor: in line with the purpose
- Reform: leave may not cover a second employer ("end of all-or-nothing")
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Performing gainful work during L4 or using the leave against its purpose results in loss of sickness benefit for the whole leave period and an obligation to repay it; it may also be grounds for liability towards the employer. A check by ZUS or the employer may take place at home and at the workplace; if the inspector doesn't find you, this isn't an automatic loss of benefit — the check can be repeated and the absence explained (e.g. a doctor's visit). To keep the benefit: follow the doctor's recommendations, limit activity to ordinary tasks, don't take up work, and avoid behaviour that could undermine the leave's purpose (renovation, travel, sport).
📎 Official sources
- ZUS · Sickness benefit and sick-leave checks →
- ISAP · Act on cash benefits from sickness insurance →
- ISAP · Labour Code →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I leave the house on L4?
Yes, you may do ordinary daily activities: going to the pharmacy, shopping, a walk, a doctor's appointment or picking up children from school. The condition is using the leave in line with its purpose — recovery — and not for other activities at odds with it.
What's not allowed on sick leave?
You may not perform gainful work — including remote work, civil-law contracts and running a business — or use the leave against its purpose. ZUS will challenge, for example, an intensive renovation, going on holiday or taking part in sports competitions during the leave.
Can I work remotely on L4?
No. The ban on gainful work during the leave also covers remote work. Taking up any gainful work on L4 results in loss of sickness benefit for the whole leave period and an obligation to repay it. The leave is for recovery, not for work.
What if the check doesn't find me at home?
Absence during a check isn't an automatic loss of benefit. The check can be repeated, and you should explain the reason for the absence — e.g. a doctor's visit, rehabilitation or another ordinary daily activity. What matters is whether the leave is used in line with its purpose.
What penalties apply for abusing L4?
For gainful work or using the leave against its purpose, you face loss of sickness benefit for the whole leave period and an obligation to repay it. It may also ground liability towards the employer. From 13 April 2026 ZUS inspectors have broader powers of control.
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