SNS Sick Pay and Sick Leave: Who Is Entitled?
The sick payalso known as sick leave SNS or CIT (Temporary Incapacity Certificate), is accessible to various groups of workers in Portugal, provided they fulfil certain conditions:
- Contract workersIncludes all those who contribute to Social Security, such as domestic workers.
- Self-employed workers: Refers to those who issue green receipts or are individual entrepreneurs.
- Beneficiaries of Voluntary Social Insurance: Covers seafarers on foreign vessels and research fellows.
- Workers with severance payThose receiving compensation for an accident at work or occupational disease, provided they are working and contributing to Social Security and the compensation is less than the allowance.
- Pension beneficiariesIncludes those receiving pensions for accidents at work or occupational illnesses, and compensation pensions, provided they are working and paying contributions.
- Pre-retirement workers: They are entitled to sick pay if they are working and contributing to social security.
- Home workers: Also covered.
- Invalidity or old-age pensioners who exercise public functions, provided that the pension is suspended, are entitled to the sick pay.
Who is not entitled to sickness benefit?
- Pre-retirement workers who are neither working nor paying social security contributions.
- Pensioners who receive an Old Age or Disability Pension.
- Beneficiaries of subsidies such as Unemployment Benefit, Unemployment Social Allowance, or others related to the cessation of activity.
- Individuals arrestedunless they already received the sick pay before the arrest.
- Workers on short-term contracts.
- Bank workers integrated in the General Social Security Scheme since 2011
What is the Temporary Incapacity Certificate (CIT)?
The CIT is, first and foremost, a document issued by a doctor attesting to the worker's temporary inability to perform their duties due to health problems, and is therefore essential for accessing the sick pay. This document is usually requested in cases of illness, accidents or surgery.
To obtain the CIT, the worker must first consult a doctor, who will assess their condition and then determine the duration of the disability. In addition, it is crucial that the worker submits the CIT to the employer and to Social Security on time, in order to guarantee access to sick pay.
How do I apply for a Temporary Disability Certificate?
The process begins, first of all, with a medical consultation. The worker must first describe their symptoms in detail to the doctor. Then the doctor, after carrying out an assessment, will issue the CIT if he or she deems it necessary. Subsequently, the worker must hand in the CIT as soon as possible to Social Security and to the employer, since the CIT is issued by the employer. sick pay is only granted once the certificate has been presented.
Rights and Duties of Workers with a Temporary Disability Certificate
By obtaining the CIT, the worker acquires the right to sick payHowever, you must also fulfil certain obligations, such as submitting the document on time and renewing the CIT if necessary. If these obligations are ignored, it could result in the loss of the licence. sick pay.
Duration of the Temporary Disability Certificate
The period of validity of the CIT is established by the doctor and can vary from days to months, depending on the severity of the condition. It is therefore important that the worker renews the CIT if the incapacity continues, thus ensuring the continuity of the worker's treatment. sick pay.
Impact of the Temporary Disability Certificate on the Worker's Career
A sick leave SNS can have an impact on the employee's career, generating financial and professional effects. Therefore, communication with the company and compliance with the duties associated with the CIT are essential to minimise these impacts and, consequently, guarantee a smooth transition back to work.
