Are sick leave rules different across Europe

Yes, sick leave pay and coverage periods vary between countries.

Which countries have the longest paid sick leave period?

Norway covers up to 52 weeks; additionally, the Netherlands extends coverage up to 2 years.

Are sick leave payments covered by employers or the European state?

It depends: in countries like Germany and Spain, both contribute -employers initially, then social security covers..

How can International companies manage such costs efficiently?

By partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR) such as EuroDev, which handles payroll and ensures compliance with each country’s regulations.

Which countries have the highest sick leave costs for employers?

Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, due to the long coverage periods and high salary compensation rates.

What Are the 2025 Sick Leave Rules in Europe?

Created at: 31 August 2022 - Last updated: 17 June 2026

sick-leave-rules-in-europe

Sick leave rules differ across Europe, from unpaid waiting days in the UK and Portugal to full coverage in Germany and Switzerland. Therefore, managing employees' absences can lead to unexpected costs for employers.

In this blog, 3 main topics will be discussed (per European country):

The percentage of the salaries employees shall receive during sick leave,
The average amount employees shall receive during sick leave, and how much of that amount employers must cover,
Additional sick leave rules that employers must adhere to.

How Much Do Employees Get Paid if They Are Sick in Europe?

In every European country, there are different coverage amounts and rules. These amounts are not necessarily fully covered by the employers; in some countries, the state also covers them partially.

First Month Sick-Leave Compensation 2025

Full Coverage	High Partial Coverage		Low Partial Coverage
Germany	Sweden	95%	Portugal	49.11%
Switzerland	Poland	80%	France	42.5%
Austria	Denmark	75.56%	Finland	38.5%
Belgium	The Netherlands	70%	The United Kingdom	13.88%
Norway	Spain	63.75%
Norway	Italy	60.5%

Table 1. The percentage of salaries employees get during the first month of sick leave in 15 European countries (2025 data).

In this table are presented three different categories:

Full Sick-Leave Coverage: shows the European countries where employees are fully compensated for their salaries during the first month of sick leave.
High Partial Sick-Leave Coverage: shows the European countries where employees are compensated more than 50% of their salaries during the first month of sick leave,
Low Partial Sick-Leave Coverage: shows the European countries where employees are compensated less than half their salaries during the first month of sick leave.

What Is Employer Sick Leave Coverage in Europe?

Regardless of the amounts employers receive if they are sick, employers do not necessarily cover the full amount. These criteria differ per country.

Employer Sick Leave Coverage Percentage in Europe

European Country	Average Monthly Salary (€)	Sick Pay Rules	Estimated Sick Leave Compensation (€)
United Kingdom	4,305 €	Lower of 80% of average weekly earnings or £123.25/week; converted at £1 = €1.1557	€617/month
France	3,649 €	50% of basic daily wage, capped at €42.97/day, after 3 unpaid waiting days	€1,160/month
Germany	4,483 €	100% salary for up to 6 weeks	€4,483/month
Spain	2,808 €	Days 1–3: 0%; days 4–20: 60%; day 21 onward: 75%	€1,657/month
The Netherlands	4,854 €	Minimum 70% salary for up to 2 years; CAO/contract may increase it	€3,398/month
Italy	2,794 €	Approx. statutory/INPS base: first 3 days often CBA-dependent; days 4–20 around 50%; day 21 onward around 66.67%; CCNLs often top up	€1,412/month
Poland	1,771 €	80% salary for standard sickness; 100% for pregnancy/commuting accident/donor cases	€1,416/month
Portugal	2,068 €	First 3 days unpaid; days 4–30 at 55% of reference earnings	€1,024/month
Switzerland	6,255 €	If no sickness insurance: 100% salary for a limited period; if daily sickness insurance applies: usually at least 80% salary	€6,255/month or €5,004/month at 80% insurance
Austria	4,883 €	Continued remuneration; generally 100% salary during the initial statutory sickness period	€4,883/month
Belgium	4,969 €	First 30 days generally employer-paid; white-collar employees usually 100% salary, blue-collar rules differ	€4,969/month for white-collar employees
Norway	5,336 €	100% sickness benefit base, capped at 6G; employer pays first 16 calendar days, then National Insurance	€5,336/month if below cap
Denmark	5,964 €	Full salary may apply under Salaried Employees Act, contract or CBA; otherwise sickness benefits apply	€5,964/month if full salary applies; otherwise dependent
Finland	4,119 €	Employer pays wages during first 10 days; after that Kela sickness allowance applies and is income-dependent	€1,373 + Kela-dependent amount
Sweden	3,877 €	Employer pays days 1–14 at around 80%, minus waiting deduction equal to 20% of sick pay for an average week; after day 14 state benefit may apply	€1,303 + state benefit from day 15

Table 2. The percentage of salary employers must cover during an entire month of sick leave in 15 European countries. The average sick leave compensation varies by country and is directly influenced by average salary.

Note: The percentages in Table 2 are calculated based on the first month of sickness. Therefore, criteria— such as unpaid waiting days, different duration rules, and social security support —are taken into account when calculating the final percentage.

For more information on the cost of hiring an employee in France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Germany, check blogs:

What Are the Sick Leave Rules Across Europe?

Following the previous two tables, there are certain rules employers must adhere to in each of these 15 European countries.

Sick Leave Rules in Europe

European Country	Waiting Period Before Sick Pay (Days)	Sick Leave Rules
The United Kingdom	3	Statutory Sick Pay amounts to £118.75 per week, taxable.
France	3	Employers pay 50% of the employees' salaries.
Germany	None	Employers cover 100% for the initial 6 weeks, then 70%.
Spain	None	Employers cover 60% up to 16 days, then social security covers the remainder duration at a rate of 75%.
The Netherlands	None	Up to two years.
Italy	None	First 3 days, employers cover 100%, day 4 till day 20, 50%, day 20 till six months, 34%.
Poland	None	In special circumstances, such as accidents or pregnancy, 100% of the salary is paid.
Portugal	3	From day 4 to day 30, the employer covers 55%, from day 31 to day 90, 60%, from day 91 to day 365, 70%, and after 365 days, 75%.
Switzerland	None	Employers must pay the full amount of sick leave for at least three weeks.
Austria	None	Employees are entitled to a minimum of six weeks of sick leave every year.
Belgium	Varies	The employee must provide a sick note.
Norway	None	The employer fully covers the first 16 days of sick leave.
Denmark	None	Employers cover sick leave for the initial 30 days.
Finland	9	/
Sweden	1	The first 14 days are covered by the employer at a rate of 80%, then the Swedish Social Insurance Agency covers the remaining duration.

Table 3. The waiting period before sick leave and each of these 15 European countries' sick leave main rules are presented (2025 data).

Note: In some countries, like Germany, there are no unpaid waiting days, yet employees may still need to provide a doctor's note.

Conclusion & How we can help

Managing sick leave in different European countries can be tedious, particularly when handling local rules and payment responsibilities. Understanding every country's HR regulations is important for companies expanding their business operations in Europe.

If you are planning to hire employees in Europe but want to avoid such complexities, EuroDev continuously welcomes new partnerships. We offer EOR (Employer of Record) and Payroll services to help you hire and pay employees across multiple European countries without setting up a local entity.

Contact us, and we will schedule an appointment to help you understand exactly how we can help as your partner here in Europe.

Written by Sven Brands, HR Outsourcing International Account Manager at EuroDev.

Disclaimer: While we strive to provide accurate and timely information, please note that HR policies and regulations can change frequently. It is recommended that you seek guidance from our HR consultants to ensure that the data presented here is current and accurate.

FAQ's

: Yes, sick leave pay and coverage periods vary between countries.
: Norway covers up to 52 weeks; additionally, the Netherlands extends coverage up to 2 years.
: It depends: in countries like Germany and Spain, both contribute -employers initially, then social security covers..
: By partnering with an Employer of Record (EOR) such as EuroDev, which handles payroll and ensures compliance with each country’s regulations.
: Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands, due to the long coverage periods and high salary compensation rates.

Source: Vouchercloud