Minister Rogobete explains why the first day of sick leave will no longer be paid. “The measure has only one purpose”

The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, declared, on Sunday evening, that the decision to decrease by one day the payment provided by the National Health Insurance House for medical leaves is based on numbers and has a foundation behind it. Rogobete also said that the measure is applied in many EU countries.

Alexandru Rogobete spoke, on Sunday evening, on Antena 3, about the decision to reduce by one day the payment provided by the National Health Insurance House for medical leaves, taken by the Government at the end of 2025.

“First of all, this practice is not only in Romania and it did not happen here for the first time. It is not an idea that does not have a foundation or a figure behind it. In many countries in the European Union, the first, second and even third days of sick leave are not paid by anyone”, said the Minister of Health, quoted by News.ro.

He explained that the measure is taken “everywhere and it has only one purpose, namely to reduce the number of short-term medical leaves, which have been proven everywhere to be abused”.

The minister explained that, with the measures taken last year, an average of 120 million lei per month was saved from short-term medical leaves.

Rogobete also said that, after last year's checks in connection with medical leaves, many lawsuits have been started and many doctors have been sanctioned.

In relation to the non-payment of the first day of leave, the minister explained that the application rules will be implemented, which will take into account specific aspects, such as oncological patients or those with other ailments who need monthly medical leaves.

Romanians will no longer be paid for the first day of sick leave

An emergency ordinance, adopted on December 30, 2025, established that the first day of sick leave will no longer be paid. The authorities reasoned that they want to reduce the phenomenon of fictitious sick leaves.

The measure concerns the medical leaves that will be issued between February 1, 2026 and December 31, 2027.

Thus, the employers bear the 2-6 days of the payment of the allowance for medical leaves, following that, starting from the seventh day, the costs are borne by the Health Insurance House.

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.

The Minister of Health, Alexandru Rogobete, said that the measure is “transitional, 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.”