Can I go on sick pay in Hungary?
Yes — the system has two steps: first the employer pays, then health insurance. Once a doctor declares you unfit for work, step one is sick leave: 15 working days a year at 70 % of absence pay, on the employer. From day 16 (or immediately for hospital care, or once the quota is spent) comes sick pay (táppénz): 60 % — or 50 % with under two years' continuous insurance or in hospital — capped in 2026 at ~21,500 HUF a day (one-thirtieth of twice the minimum wage). Sick pay runs at most 1 year (and no longer than your continuous insurance record). A separate branch is child-care sick pay (GYÁP) for staying home with a sick child, with age-dependent day quotas. Fine print: sick pay bears 15 % income tax but no contributions; occupational-accident sick pay is 100 %; and working while on sick pay is fraud territory the health fund's inspectors actively hunt.
📋 The key rules
- Step 1: sick leave — 15 working days/year at 70 % (employer-paid)
- Step 2: sick pay at 60 % (50 % under 2 years' insurance / in hospital)
- Daily cap 2026: ~21,500 HUF; duration max 1 year
- Child-care sick pay: age-dependent quotas
- Occupational accidents: 100 % accident sick pay, uncapped by the quota
🔓 Exceptions
- Sick leave exists only in employment — the self-employed go straight to sick pay (if contributions are paid)
- Working while on sick pay is banned — instant loss of entitlement and repayment
⚠️ Penalties
Working while on sick pay or feigned incapacity: payments stop, sums are reclaimed with interest, and fraud proceedings can follow. Employers denying sick leave commit a labour violation.
📎 Official sources
- State Treasury · Sick pay and sick leave (HU) →
- Officina · Sick-pay amounts 2026 (HU) →
- Bank360 · Sick-pay calculator (HU) →
❓ Frequently asked questions
What do I get on sick leave?
70 % of your absence pay for up to 15 working days a year — employer-paid, from day one (no 'excess' days).
And on sick pay?
60 % (50 % with under 2 years' continuous insurance or in hospital), capped at the daily maximum — ~21,500 HUF in 2026; for higher earners the cap bites substantially.
How long can I stay on sick pay?
At most 1 year (and no longer than your continuous insurance record) — beyond that the path leads to rehabilitation or disability benefits.
My child is sick. Do I get sick pay?
Yes, child-care sick pay (GYÁP): with yearly day quotas by the child's age (generous for small children, equity-based above 12) — the doctor certifies you under 'caring for a sick child'.
🔎 What people actually search
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