🤒 Can I take sick leave to look after my sick child in Croatia?

Yes

Quick answer

Yes — caring for a sick child is a separate form of sick leave, paid by HZZO (the health insurance fund) from the very first day. For a child under 7 it runs up to 60 days per diagnosed illness, at 100 % of the base (since 1 August 2025, NN 105/2025 — before that 100 % applied only up to age 3); for a child aged 7 to 18 it is up to 40 days, at 70 %. The amount is bounded: at least 353.15 €, at most 995.45 € a month. Older sources still quoting a maximum of 565.04 € are out of date. The myth "the employer pays, so my boss can refuse" is false — the child's doctor opens the leave, HZZO refunds the employer within 30 days, and the employer's 42 days are untouched.

📋 The rules

Duration under ZOZO Art. 45: for a child under 7 — up to 60 days per diagnosed illness; a child aged 7 to 18 — up to 40 days per illness; a child over 18 or a spouse/life partner — up to 20 days, and only for a serious condition; "child" includes adopted children, stepchildren and children placed with you by decision of the competent authority.
If the primary care doctor judges that those limits will not be enough, an extension is approved by an HZZO medical commission — longer care is possible, but only through the commission.
Compensation since 1 August 2025 (NN 105/2025): 100 % of the base for care of a child under 7 (previously only up to age 3), 70 % for a child aged 7 to 18; the monthly amount is bounded — at least 80 % of the budget base = 353.15 €, at most 225.5 % = 995.45 € for full-time work, and the ceiling does apply to care leave (ZOZO Art. 55(3) exempts only maternity cases, leave after the death of a child, and injury at work).
Care leave does not use up the employer's 42 days: under ZOZO Art. 41 the compensation is borne by HZZO from the first day (the employer merely pays it out in advance and HZZO refunds it within 30 days of the claim) — the employer bears no wage cost and cannot lawfully "forbid" the leave, which is opened by the child's doctor, not by the boss.
Either parent is entitled — the law says "insured person" — subject to the conditions in Art. 45(7): the other parent must not be unemployed (unless you live alone with the child, e.g. a single or divorced parent), the same person cannot use the right for two children at once, and it does not apply if the child has a recognised parent carer; care leave can also be taken as half-time work (Art. 45(8)).

🔓 Exceptions

If the other parent is unemployed (and you do not live alone with the child), HZZO will refuse the compensation — the law assumes the care is provided by the parent who is not working.
The 60/40 days are per illness, not per year: a newly diagnosed condition opens a fresh entitlement, and for more serious conditions the HZZO medical commission can extend the limits.
Parents may alternate the care leave (only one of them at a time, notified through the doctor) — a widely applied HZZO practice described in guides for parents, although the mechanics of the switch are not spelled out in the act itself.

⚠️ Penalties & fines

There is no penalty for using the right — the risks are procedural and financial. If the other parent is unemployed or the paperwork is not in order, HZZO refuses the compensation or claws it back; abuse discovered during supervision of temporary incapacity (the employer may at any time request a check on whether the leave is justified, ZOZO Art. 46(8)) ends the entitlement. The unexpected consequence: even though the rate is 100 %, the compensation is capped at 995.45 € a month, so a parent earning more than that takes home less on care leave than at work. The employer cannot forbid the leave — the child's doctor opens it and HZZO pays it from day one.

📎 Official sources

Last verified: 2026-07-12

❓ Frequently asked

How many days of care leave can I take for a child?

Up to 60 days per diagnosed illness for a child under 7, and up to 40 days for a child aged 7 to 18. The limits run per illness, not per year, and an HZZO medical commission can extend them.

How much is the care leave payment?

Since 1 August 2025 it is 100 % of the base for a child under 7 and 70 % for a child aged 7 to 18. The monthly amount is bounded at a minimum of 353.15 € and a maximum of 995.45 €.

Is it true that the maximum payment is 565.04 €?

It is not — that figure is out of date: it applied until 31 July 2025, when the ceiling was 128 % of the budget base. Since 1 August 2025 (NN 105/2025) the maximum is 995.45 €, and HZZO recalculated the payments of its own motion.

Can the father take care leave as well?

He can — the law speaks of the "insured person", so either insured parent qualifies, the father included. The condition is that the other parent is not unemployed, unless you live alone with the child.

Who pays for care leave — the employer or HZZO?

HZZO, and from the very first day; the employer only pays it out in advance and HZZO refunds it within 30 days. That is why care leave does not use up the employer's 42 days and the boss cannot forbid it.

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