L4 online: e-Sick leave via the Internet

During the online consultation, the doctor only needs the patient's PESEL number. The rest of the data necessary for issuing e-Sick Leave will be retrieved from the e-ZLA system.

It is the online doctor who, based on the interview and any test results, assesses whether issuing e-Sick Leave is justified and necessary due to the patient's health.

The entire process from scheduling an e-Visit to its completion with the issuance of the document usually takes no more than 15 minutes. However, this also depends on the complexity of the interview and the health problem for which the patient wants to receive the doctor's advice.

Yes, e-Sick Leave obtained online is no different from that prescribed by a doctor during a personal visit, and the employer is obliged to honor such sick leave on par with traditional ones.

The doctor is obliged to transfer the electronically issued sick leave certificate to ZUS within the next 3 business days from issuing the certificate on a form printed from the system. Then, information about sick leave goes to the employer.

Yes, during online consultations – if justified – the patient can also receive an e-Prescription for their ailments.

In Poland, sick leave can be taken for a maximum period of 182 days.

The length of L4 depends on the diagnosis made by the doctor. Depending on the symptoms, well-being, and, if necessary, morphological or imaging test results, the doctor decides on the duration of incapacity for work. It is worth remembering that sick leave can be extended in case of no improvement or deterioration in the patient's condition.

There is no limitation preventing a doctor from issuing L4 for only one day. If the doctor believes that the employee cannot perform work for health reasons on a specific day, they have the full right to issue sick leave.

The employer does not have the right to obtain information about the employee's illness, and the employee is not obliged to inform them about the specific health issue they are dealing with.

If the sick leave is short-term, related to a passing and transient indisposition of the student, it is possible to obtain sick leave from physical education classes during an online visit. However, if the sick leave is to last longer, or even the entire school year, specialists recommend a visit to a stationary office for a more in-depth medical diagnosis.

If a student falls ill and cannot attend university classes, the doctor during an online visit has the opportunity to issue a certificate of incapacity to participate in classes. The certificate is not in electronic form.

It often happens that a patient seeks advice from a doctor a few days after the onset of symptoms. It's worth remembering that a doctor can issue sick leave up to 3 days retroactively from the date of examination – this is provided by law. Only a psychiatrist can specify a longer retroactive period in sick leave if they consider it justified.

Sick leave due to illness also applies to an employee hired under a contract for a specific task if they voluntarily opted for sickness insurance. If the contractor has chosen this solution, they are entitled to sickness benefits.