In certain cases, vacation days are credited – the sick note is important
Vienna (OTS) – The summer holiday wave is in full swing. Many employees are treating themselves to an extended, well-deserved break. But for thousands of people, illness puts a stop to their plans and they have to stay in bed.
Currently, numerous employees are turning to the ÖGB and the unions because they are unsure how they should behave or what will happen to their vacation because they are ill during their days off.
ÖGB labor law expert Michael Trinko provides the most important answers on the topic: Sick on vacation.
“Anyone who is ill should go to the doctor – not only to get treatment, but also to be able to provide confirmation to the employer in the event of incapacity to work,” says ÖGB labor law expert Michael Trinko. The confirmation must be presented immediately when you return to work so that your vacation days are retained.
“If you get sick during your vacation and the sick leave lasts more than three calendar days, then no vacation days are used. This means that the days on which you are or were sick are credited back to your vacation account. But only if you are sick for more than three days,” emphasizes ÖGB labor law expert Michael Trinko.
An example: If an employee falls ill during a two-week holiday with a normal 5-day week (Monday to Friday are working days) from Friday to Monday inclusive, this constitutes illness for four calendar days. The days on which one usually works, i.e. from Monday to Friday in a five-day week, are then not counted as holiday days – in this case, Friday and Monday.
Holidays are not automatically extended
It is also important to know that “you cannot simply add sick days to the end of your vacation. Your vacation is not extended by the number of sick days. It ends on the originally agreed date,” says Trinko.
This applies to holidays abroad
If you are ill abroad for more than three days and go to a doctor there, you must present your employer with a medical certificate and an official confirmation after your return stating that the medical certificate was issued by a licensed doctor. This confirmation can be issued, for example, by an Austrian authority in the country you are visiting (consulate or embassy). You do not need the confirmation if you can prove that you were treated in a public hospital.
“Whether you can use your e-card to go to the doctor abroad and whether the costs are fully covered by social insurance depends on the country you are vacationing in,” says labor law expert Trinko. It is therefore a good idea to find out about this from the Austrian social insurance beforehand. (Information also available here:
You definitely need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which can be found on the back of the e-card. The EHIC must be completely filled out and must not be expired.
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