{"id":16940,"date":"2025-03-12T09:00:51","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T09:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/?p=16940"},"modified":"2025-10-14T17:58:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-14T16:58:33","slug":"what-and-how-cit-or-baixa-medica-works-in-portugal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/o-que-e-e-como-funciona-o-cit-ou-baixa-medica-em-portugal\/","title":{"rendered":"What is CIT and how does it work in Portugal?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"16940\" class=\"elementor elementor-16940\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3402dd7 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"3402dd7\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f69cae2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f69cae2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Portugal, the Temporary Incapacity Certificate (CIT), commonly known as \"sick leave\", is an official document that certifies a worker's temporary inability to carry out their professional activity due to illness or accident. This certificate is essential for the worker to be able to justify their absence from work and access sickness benefit, compensating for the loss of pay during the period of incapacity.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f2c38dc elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f2c38dc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How does the Temporary Disability Certificate (TDC) work?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e467f9 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"3e467f9\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Issuing the CIT is the responsibility of the doctors at the hospital. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sns.gov.pt\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">National Health Service (SNS)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes health centres, hospitals and emergency services. From 1 March 2024, emergency services and the private and social sector will also be able to issue temporary incapacity certificates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process of issuing the CIT is carried out electronically, with the certificate being transmitted directly by the health services to Social Security. In this way, the worker is no longer responsible for delivering the document to the employer, simplifying the process and reducing the associated bureaucracy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a0f00c0 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"a0f00c0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sickness Benefit: Who is entitled and how does it work?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1bd2fa8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1bd2fa8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sickness benefit is a benefit granted by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.seg-social.pt\/incapacidade-temporaria\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social Security<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which is intended to compensate for the loss of pay resulting from temporary absence from work due to illness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be entitled to this allowance, the worker must fulfil the following requirements:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Warranty period<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Have at least six months of consecutive or interpolated social security contributions.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Start of Payment<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sickness benefit is paid from the fourth day of incapacity in the case of employees, and from the 31st day in the case of self-employed workers.<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Maximum duration<\/b><span>Sick leave can be for a maximum of 1,095 days (three years) for dependent workers and 365 days (one year) for self-employed workers.<\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db23c3d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"db23c3d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">How is the Sickness Benefit Calculated?\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fd779c4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fd779c4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The amount of sickness benefit is calculated on the basis of the worker's reference remuneration, corresponding to a percentage of the average daily wage, according to the duration of the incapacity:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Up to 30 days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 55% of the reference remuneration.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>From 31 to 90 days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 60% of the reference remuneration.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>From 91 to 365 days<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: 70% of the reference remuneration.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li aria-level=\"1\"><b>More than 365 days<\/b><span>: 75% of the reference remuneration.<\/span><\/li><\/ul><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/>It's important to note that there are minimum and maximum limits for the value of the subsidy, set annually by the government.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c27e594 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"c27e594\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Workers' obligations during sick leave\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8861b6e elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8861b6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"532\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baixa-medica-em-portugal.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-16950\" alt=\"Doctor on NET prescribing sick leave in Portugal\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baixa-medica-em-portugal.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baixa-medica-em-portugal-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baixa-medica-em-portugal-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baixa-medica-em-portugal-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/baixa-medica-em-portugal-600x399.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7ac1e73 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7ac1e73\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During the period of temporary incapacity, the worker must fulfil certain obligations to ensure entitlement to sickness benefit:<\/span><\/p><ul><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Inform the Employer<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the CIT is transmitted electronically to Social Security, the worker must inform their employer of the disability situation.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><br \/><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Availability for Medical Assessments<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The worker must be available for any medical assessments requested by Social Security to confirm temporary incapacity.<br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><b><\/b><\/span><\/li><li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b>Respect Medical Indications<\/b><span>It is essential that the worker complies with the doctor's instructions in order to recover his or her labour capacity.<\/span><\/span><\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f046eff elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f046eff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Changes in Medical Leave Rules and Trends for the Future\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-855ec7c elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"855ec7c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With the new rules coming into force on 1 March 2024, emergency services and the private and social sectors will be able to issue temporary incapacity certificates, broadening workers' access to certification of incapacity.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These changes aim to simplify the process of issuing the CIT, reduce bureaucracy and ensure a faster response to the needs of workers in situations of illness or temporary incapacity.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-dde785c elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"dde785c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">What You Should Know to Guarantee Your Rights\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cca47e8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"cca47e8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Temporary Incapacity Certificate (CIT) is an essential instrument in Portugal's social protection system, ensuring that workers can justify their absence from work due to illness and access sickness benefit, which compensates for the loss of income during the period of incapacity.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is essential that workers are informed about their rights and duties related to sick leave, fulfil the associated obligations and collaborate with the competent bodies to ensure the correct functioning of this social protection mechanism.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need a<\/span><span style=\"color: #2b9b9f;\"><a style=\"color: #2b9b9f;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/product\/sick-leave\/\"> <b>sick leave<\/b><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">M\u00e9dico na Net offers a professional and secure service, guaranteeing a quick and hassle-free process.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more information, it is recommended that you consult the official websites of the Social Security and National Health Service, where up-to-date details on how the CIT and sickness benefit work are available.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Em Portugal, o Certificado de Incapacidade Tempor\u00e1ria (CIT), vulgarmente conhecido como &#8220;baixa m\u00e9dica&#8221;, \u00e9 um documento oficial que atesta a incapacidade tempor\u00e1ria de um trabalhador para exercer a sua atividade profissional devido a doen\u00e7a ou acidente. Este certificado \u00e9 fundamental para que o trabalhador possa justificar a sua aus\u00eancia laboral e aceder ao subs\u00eddio de [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1393,"featured_media":16948,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[121],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-baixa-medica"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/medico-na-net-baixa-medica.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16940","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1393"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16940"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16940\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16948"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16940"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16940"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mediconanet.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16940"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}