How much do I get on sick leave?
Only 25% for the first three days — and that is the part that catches people out. For the first 10 days of incapacity your employer pays you income compensation, and it is tiered: for days 1 to 3 you get 25% of the daily assessment base, and only from days 4 to 10 does it rise to 55%. From day 11 the social insurance agency takes over and pays sickness benefit at 55% of the same base. The good news: a collective agreement can set a higher rate — up to 80% of the base, and it can apply from the very first day. So check whether one is in force where you work; over a short illness, the gap between 25% and 80% is substantial.
📋 The rules
- Days 1–3: 25% of the daily assessment base
- Days 4–10: 55% of the base
- The first 10 days are paid by the employer
- From day 11: the social insurer pays 55%
- A collective agreement can raise it — up to 80%
🔓 Exceptions
- A collective agreement can grant a higher rate from the very first day
- Entitlement to sickness benefit requires meeting the insurance conditions
- Sole traders and voluntarily insured people follow separate rules
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The commonest misunderstanding is "sick leave pays 55%". It does — but only from the fourth day. For the first three days it is just 25% of the base, which over a short illness means a noticeable drop in income. So it is worth finding out whether a collective agreement applies at your workplace: it can lift the rate to 80% of the base, and even from day one. The other thing people forget: the first 10 days come from the employer, and only afterwards from the social insurer — two different payers, two different payment dates. Entitlement to the benefit also arises only if you meet the sickness insurance conditions.
📎 Official sources
- Social Insurance Agency · Sickness benefit →
- Slov-Lex · Social Insurance Act (461/2003) →
- Slov-Lex · Act on income compensation during incapacity →
❓ Frequently asked
How much do I get while off sick?
For the first three days, 25% of the daily assessment base, and for days 4 to 10, 55%. From day 11 the social insurer pays sickness benefit, also at 55% of the base.
Who pays for the first ten days?
The employer, as income compensation. Only from day 11 does the social insurance agency take over and pay sickness benefit. So there are two different payers and two payment dates.
Can I get more than 55%?
Yes, where a collective agreement applies at your workplace. It can set a higher rate of income compensation, up to 80% of the daily assessment base — and even from the first day of sickness.
Why are the first three days lower?
That is how the act on income compensation during temporary incapacity sets it. It is precisely why a short illness is the least favourable financially, and the gap against 55% is noticeable.
Does this apply to sole traders?
Not in the same way. Sole traders and voluntarily insured people follow separate rules, and entitlement depends on whether and for how long you have been covered by sickness insurance.
🔎 Common searches
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