Being on sick leave is simply a time for recovery and recovery. Unfortunately, many Poles do not realize that 1 seemingly insignificant mistake in documentation can lead to serious consequences, including the failure of the full sickness allowance. The Social Insurance Institution from year to year increases inspections, and soon, due to changes planned by the government, they can become even more frequent. Experts are alerting employees and doctors to omit the key item which becomes the basis for questioning the benefits. This mistake concerns the address of the stay during L4 and may cost thousands of PLN. We explain what to pay peculiar attention to, so that we do not put ourselves in danger of trouble, and what precisely are checked by ZUS controllers.
ZUS strengthens L4 controls. Who's on target?
The Social Insurance Institution has a statutory work to verify the correct usage of medical exemptions. The aim is to destruct situations where L4 is treated as an additional leave of absence or an chance to work in black. Controls are carried out on a massive scale and their effectiveness is increasing. Only last year ZUS conducted 486,4 1000 checksAs a result, the 36.6 1000 redundancies. The amount of sickness benefits withheld for this intent exceeded PLN 52.9 millionWhich shows the scale of the problem.
Who is most frequently under the scrutiny of officials? As the lawyer Marta Handzlik-Rosul points out, leading the popular profile "Under the law", ZUS pays peculiar attention to respective groups of employees. The hazard list shall primarily include persons who:
- They frequently benefit from short - word medical leave.
- They receive exemptions from various doctors at short intervals.
- In the past, they had already had a contested waiver and had to reimburse.
It is besides worth remembering that many controls are the consequence anonymous notifications. Jealous neighbors, erstwhile partners or even co-workers frequently inform the Social safety Office about suspicions that a individual on L4 actually performs renovations, works elsewhere or went on vacation. Each specified signal is verified by officials, which increases the likelihood of unannounced visits by the controller.
A key mistake that costs you to lose your allowance. Experts warn
The most common offences, specified as gainful work or housing renovation, are apparent reasons for losing the benefit. There is, however, a mistake which Poles frequently commit in general, frequently out of pure disregard and which has equally severe consequences. It's about an incorrect address on the printing of the e-ZLA medical release.
Experts from the advisory company Conferio, who specializes in illness abstinence issues, alert that it is simply a plague. Mikołaj Zając, an expert of the company, emphasizes that both workers and doctors issuing dismissals do not attach due importance to this section. The address of the check-in is frequently listed, not the actual place where the patient will be staying during the recovery – for example in the household that takes care of him or in another apartment.
The consequences are simple and painful. The ZUS controller arrives at the address indicated in the documentation. If there is no worker there, he shall draw up a protocol and absence shall be treated as evidence of misuse of the exemption. ‘If the address given is out of date and the controllers do not find the individual at home, this may be regarded as misuse of the exemption and consequence in the failure of the benefit’ – emphasises Mikołaj Zając. For ZUS, the situation is clear: the individual is not in the place where he should be treated. This is simply a adequate basis to suspend the payment of the allowance for the full period under scrutiny.
What can be done on sick leave to avoid problems?
To avoid misunderstandings and control stress, it is crucial to realize what is allowed and not allowed to do on L4. First of all, medical leave is not a vacation. This time is to service only recovery. However, there are activities which are allowed and do not constitute grounds for receiving the allowance.
It all depends on the doctor's note on his release. If the doctor ticks the code ‘1’, this means that the patient must lie down and its activity should be limited to an absolute minimum. Leaving the home is justified only for the intent of visiting a doctor or a pharmacy. In turn code ‘2’ means that the patient can walk. In this case, implementation may be authorised common regular life activities. specified activities include, for example:
- Going to the pharmacy for medication.
- Visiting a doctor or rehab.
- Short exit to the close store for essential groceries.
- A short walk to oxygenate, if this is not contrary to medical advice.
On the another hand, it is absolutely prohibited to do any work for money, do dense housework (e.g. renovation, window cleaning), participate in social events or recreation trips. Each of these activities is simply a direct basis for the collection of sickness benefit.
The government is preparing a revolution in L4. Allowance from ZUS from the first day
The problem of the correct usage of sick leave will become even more pressing in the light of the forthcoming changes. The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, led by Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, is working on a revolutionary project. presently the sick pay for the first 33 days of dismissal is paid by the employer (80% of the salary). It is only from the 34th day that ZUS assumes this responsibility.
The fresh rules are to transfer this burden entirely to the Social Insurance Institution. ZUS is to pay sickness benefit from the first day of the absence of an employee. "It is not possible to punish for the disease, so work on paid sickness is underway in the ministry from the first day through the Social Insurance Institution," said Minister Dziemianowicz-Bąk in an interview with Radio Zet. This amendment is intended to relieve the budgets of companies for which the cost of sickness pay is simply a serious burden.
However, this revolution has the another side of the medal. The transfer of 100% of backing to ZUS means that the institution will be even more determined to defend public funds. Experts agree that the natural consequence of this improvement will be further strengthening and sealing the L4 control system. For employees, this means 1 thing: any mistake, including the address, will have even more meaning. That is why it is so crucial to make a habit of carefully checking data on a doctor’s release.
SEO tags: L4, ZUS, medical leave, sick allowance, control of the Social Insurance Institution, Ministry of Labour, mistake on L4
Additional title proposals:
1. ZUS can take your allowance. All due to 1 mistake that Poles make on L4.
2. Are you on L4? Check this 1 detail, due to the fact that ZUS increases controls and takes money.
3. Government prepares changes in L4. Checks will be more frequent, and you'll lose your allowance for that mistake.
More here:
Poles make a massive mistake on L4. ZUS can collect all the benefits!
