The first day of sick leave will no longer be paid to Romanian employees in the next 2 years, the Government decided. The measure aims to reduce the number of medical leaves, “especially short ones”, says the Minister of Health

The first day of sick leave for an episode of illness will no longer be paid for employees in Romania. The measure concerns the medical leaves that will be released between February 1, 2026 and December 31, 2027. The decision was taken on Tuesday, through an Emergency Ordinance approved in the last Government meeting in 2025.

Employers will bear the costs of medical leaves starting from the second to the sixth day of the period of temporary incapacity for work, following that, starting from the seventh day, the costs will be borne by the Health Insurance House, states the Emergency Ordinance approved on Tuesday.

Until now, the first five days of sick leave were paid by the employer, and starting from the sixth day, the costs were covered by CNAS.

Contacted by HotNews, the Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, talks about a “transitional measure, initially thought for 2 years. But, if the phenomenon of fictitious medical leaves decreases significantly, it can be reduced and canceled at any time, it is not a definitive measure.”

“Of course, it is intended to reduce the number of medical leaves, especially the short ones, of 2-3 days, which were usually identified when bridges were made or, following the controls, were identified as fictitious leaves”, says the minister, in the dialogue with HotNews.

The alternative discussed in the Government was the imposition of the CASS payment – of 10% – from the allowance for temporary incapacity for work, says the Minister of Health. This option failed, however, and it was decided to waive the payment of the first day of sick leave: “In the negotiation, it was managed to not apply 10% CASS for sick leave allowances. This measure leads to much smaller losses for people than if the 10% CASS tax had been applied.”

In addition, says Alexandru Rogobete, it is “a measure that is practiced in many other countries in the European Union. There are countries – Belgium, France – where, depending on the type of medical insurance, the first or even the second day of sick leave is not paid for certain disease codes.”

What the Emergency Ordinance approved on Tuesday provides:

• “Art. II. – (1) For medical leave certificates issued between February 1, 2026 and December 31, 2027, the social health insurance allowances provided for by the Emergency Government Ordinance No. 158/2005 on leave and social health insurance allowances, approved with amendments and additions by Law No. 399/2006, with subsequent amendments and additions, are calculated and paid by decreasing it by one day and is borne as follows:
• A. by the employer, from the 2nd to the 6th day of temporary incapacity for work, in the case of allowances for temporary incapacity to work, with the exception of allowances related to medical leave certificates granted to insured persons for whom the measure of isolation was instituted, according to Law no. 136/2020;
• B. from the budget of the single national health social insurance fund, starting with:
• a) the day following those borne by the employer, according to letter A, and until the date of termination of the insured's temporary incapacity for work or his retirement;
• b) the 2nd day in the case of allowances that are paid in full according to the law from the budget of the National Single Health Social Insurance Fund.
• (2) The periods of reduction of the social health insurance allowance according to para. (1) constitute insurance period for holidays and social health insurance allowances, while maintaining the quality of insured within the social health insurance system.
• (3) The method of implementing the provisions of para. (1) is approved by the rules provided for in art. 56 of the Government Emergency Ordinance no. 158/2005, approved with amendments and additions by Law no. 399/2006, with subsequent amendments and additions, within 30 days from the date of entry into force of this emergency ordinance.”

Impact estimated at one billion lei. How the money will be used

The impact of this measure is estimated at one billion lei per year. Money that, says Alexandru Rogobete, will be used for introducing new treatments for oncology patients, with rare diseases or other conditions, as well as for screening programs. In November, the Minister of Health recalls, the entry of 41 new treatments into the list of compensated medicines was approved after the amount of 500 million lei was saved from the first measures taken, in 2025, for medical leaves.

In addition, the Emergency Ordinance approved on Tuesday also introduces additional control measures, “so that employers can directly notify the Ministry of Health or the Health Insurance House, through a clear mechanism, regarding employees who abuse medical leaves”, says Rogobete, in the dialogue with HotNews.

“Romania, Bulgaria and one more country are the only ones in the EU where, in certain situations, the sick leave allowance is paid in proportion to 100% of the salary, for certain disease codes. In most countries, the allowance is paid between 75% and 85% of the amount”, adds the Minister of Health.