[Czech Republic] Digitalization Sick Leave Benefits

Starting 1 January 2025, significant changes will occur in the area of sickness insurance. We only wait for Czech president’s signature. The Czech Social Security Office (ČSSZ) is digitalizing additional sickness benefits, which will impact both employers and employees. This step follows the successful implementation of electronic sick leave (eNeschopenka) in 2020. The following benefits will now be processed electronically:

• Nursing allowance,
• Long-term nursing allowance,
• Maternity allowance,
• Paternity allowance,
• Compensatory allowance during pregnancy and maternity.

What does this mean for employers?

The digitalization will bring several changes that employers need to prepare for:

1. Doctors initiate cases electronically
   • Attending physicians will issue decisions or confirmations electronically and generate an identifier, which they will pass on to the insured person (employee).
2. Employees provide information to employers
   • The insured person will receive a message from ČSSZ containing the identifier, the type of benefit, and other details. They are required to forward this information to their employer using an agreed-upon channel, such as email, SMS, or a personnel system.
3. Employers must accept applications
   • Employers are obligated to accept applications and establish clear procedures for employees to submit the required information.
4. New form for payroll accountants
   • Employers will send ČSSZ the form “Employer’s Notification of Employee’s Benefit Application,” which includes the necessary data for benefit calculation. Employers are no longer required to send notifications of the occurrence of a social event.
5. Benefit payouts
   • Benefits will be paid to employees to the same bank account used for salary payments unless the employee arranges otherwise with ČSSZ.

What changes for events occurring in 2024?

If a doctor issues a decision on a benefit before 1 January 2025, the current paper forms will remain valid. This also applies to related documents, such as confirmations of continued social event. For benefits issued after this date, the new legal framework will apply, even if the start date of the benefit is retrospectively set by the doctor to a date before 1 January 2025.

Benefits of digitalization

The digitalization of sickness benefits is expected to accelerate and simplify the entire process. Electronic communication between doctors, employees, employers, and ČSSZ will reduce administrative burdens and minimize errors associated with paper documentation.

Stay informed by checking the ČSSZ website for updates and ensure you are ready for the upcoming changes.