Does the employer pay the first ten days of sick leave?
No — and this single number causes most of the confusion. For ordinary illness the employer pays through day nine, and the state agency takes over from day ten. The first day is normally unpaid. For the second and third days the employer pays at least 75% of average earnings, and for days four through nine at least 80%. From day ten a B certificate is issued and the state pays 80% of your average insured wage. Why the myth persists: the ten-day employer period still applies to a workplace accident — there the state begins paying only from the eleventh day.
📋 The rules
- The first day is normally unpaid
- Days 2–3: employer pays at least 75%
- Days 4–9: employer pays at least 80%
- From day 10: the state, at 80% of insured wage
- You need contributions 3 of 6 or 6 of 24 months
🔓 Exceptions
- For a workplace accident the employer pays 80% for the first ten days, the state from day eleven
- For an occupational disease the B certificate and state benefit start on day one
- When caring for a sick child, the contribution-period test does not apply in qualifying cases
⚠️ Penalties & fines
The immediate consequence is lost income. The first day is normally unpaid, and for the rest of the period you receive only part of your average earnings — 75% or 80%. But the bigger risk is elsewhere: if you fail the contribution test — at least three months in the last six, or six months in the last 24 — you may receive no state sickness benefit at all, even with a doctor's certificate in hand. And the benefit has a time ceiling: it is normally paid for no more than 26 consecutive weeks. A medical commission may extend it, but not beyond 52 weeks from the start of incapacity; for repeated periods the ceiling is 52 weeks within three years.
📎 Official sources
- VSAA · Sickness benefit →
- likumi.lv · Maternity and Sickness Insurance Law →
- VDI · Employer sick pay →
❓ Frequently asked
Who pays for sick leave?
For ordinary illness the employer pays from the second to the ninth day, and the state agency takes over from the tenth. The first day of sickness is normally left unpaid entirely.
What percentage do I receive?
At least 75% of average earnings for the second and third days, and at least 80% for days four through nine. From the tenth day the state pays 80% of your average insured wage.
Does the employer pay ten days?
Not for ordinary illness — their period ends on day nine. The ten-day employer period applies to workplace accidents, which is precisely why the two sets of figures are so often confused.
Can I end up with no benefit at all?
You can. If you fail the contribution test — three months in the last six, or six months in the last 24 — the state may refuse sickness benefit even though a medical certificate exists.
How long is sickness benefit paid?
Normally no more than 26 consecutive weeks. A medical commission may extend it, but not beyond 52 weeks from the onset. For repeated periods the ceiling is 52 weeks within three years.
🔎 Common searches
What people search to land here:
- “who pays for sick leave latvia”
- “sick leave percentage latvia”
- “which day does the state pay latvia”
- “is the first sick day paid latvia”
- “sick certificate a and b latvia”
- “how long is sickness benefit paid”