Can I take sick days without a doctor's note in Czechia?
Without a doctor's note there is no legal right to paid sick leave. The statutory route is the eNeschopenka, filed electronically by your doctor to the social security office and your employer. Money then flows in two phases: days 1–14 the employer pays 60 % of your reduced average earnings (working days), and from day 15 the state pays sickness benefit — 60 % of the reduced base, 66 % from day 31 and 72 % from day 61 (calendar days). While signed off you must keep the sick regime: stay at the address you registered, and go out only as your doctor allows, at most 6 hours a day between 9:00 and 19:00. In exchange the protection period bars dismissal. Company sick days without a note are only a benefit — the law doesn't know them.
📋 The rules
- Paid sickness = doctor's eNeschopenka (electronic, from day 1)
- Days 1–14: employer pays 60 % of reduced average earnings
- From day 15: state benefit — 60 % / 66 % (day 31+) / 72 % (day 61+)
- Sick regime: stay at the registered address, outings max 6 h/day (9–19)
- No dismissal during sick leave (protection period, with exceptions)
🔓 Exceptions
- Sick days: employer benefit (usually 3–5 days, no note needed)
- Carer's allowance: separate benefit for nursing a sick child/relative (60 %, 9/16 days)
- Breaking the regime: benefit cuts, in gross cases even dismissal
⚠️ Penalties & fines
Staying home without a note and without your employer's approval is unexcused absence: it can cost you leave days, bring dismissal, and for longer absences even immediate termination for gross breach of duty. The second risk sits on the benefit side — breaking the treatment regime (not being found at your address, outings beyond the permitted window) means the sickness benefit is cut or withdrawn, plus a fine, and inspections from both the social security office and the employer arrive unannounced. A gross breach can itself be a ground for dismissal, so the protection period will not save you there.
📎 Official sources
- ČSSZ · Sickness benefit details (CS) →
- Peníze.cz · Sick pay 2026 — how much (CS) →
- e15 · Sick note 2026 — outings, payments, rules (CS) →
❓ Frequently asked
Can I stay home one day without a doctor?
Only with your employer's approval — as leave, a company sick day or unpaid time off. Without it the day is unexcused absence, which can cost you leave days or your job; the law knows no note-free sick day.
How much do I get the first two weeks?
60 % of your reduced average hourly earnings, and only for working days. At an average wage that lands around two-thirds of your usual net pay — from day 15 the state takes over and the rate climbs to 66 % and then 72 %.
When may I go outside?
Only within the window your doctor permits, at most 6 hours a day between 9:00 and 19:00. Inspectors from the social security office and your employer come unannounced, and not being found at your address means a cut or lost benefit.
Can I be fired while sick?
Generally not during the protection period; the exceptions are employer closure and prior gross misconduct. If a notice period is already running it does not stop — it is simply extended by the days you are sick.
What if my child is sick?
You don't draw sick pay but the carer's allowance — 60 % of the reduced base. It runs for at most 9 calendar days, or 16 for single parents, so longer care needs leave or an arrangement with your employer.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “sick leave czech republic”
- “czech sick note rules”
- “sick pay percentage czechia”
- “eneschopenka english”
- “fired while sick czech”
- “sick leave inspection czech rules”