Many people are unaware that the Polish Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) provides paid leave for caring for a sick spouse or other family member. The benefit is available to employees, contractors, and entrepreneurs alike, but two key conditions must be satisfied.
The basic requirement is having health insurance. For employees on standard employment contracts, this is automatic. Entrepreneurs, however, must prove they pay sickness insurance contributions (either mandatory or voluntary).
The second condition is that the person being cared for must live in the same household as the applicant, and no one else in the household can take over the care. The benefit is only granted when no other capable person is present.
Who qualifies as a family member and how much can you get?
The Sickness Benefits Act defines a family member as a spouse, parent of a child, in-laws, grandparents, siblings, and children over the age of 14, provided they share a household with the insured person – as reported by Business Insider Polska.
– The act defines who qualifies as a family member: spouse, parent of a child, in-laws, grandparents, siblings, and children over 14, provided they live with the insured person – reported Business Insider Polska.
The annual limit for such leave is 60 days. However, if all household members are older than 14, the entitlement is reduced to just 14 days per calendar year.
The benefit amounts to 80% of the average salary from the last 12 months (for employees) or 80% of the income on which the entrepreneur pays contributions. The allowance is also paid for public holidays.
How to claim the benefit
To receive the payment, an applicant needs a medical certificate (ZUS ZLA or e-sick leave) and a completed ZUS Z-15 form. Employees submit these documents to their employer, while entrepreneurs send them directly to ZUS.
If the employer has more than 20 employees, the company pays the benefit; otherwise, ZUS handles the payment.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. Remigiusz Gora / Shutterstock
