This chapter includes all you need to know about sickness benefits in cash. Periods of insurance completed in a Member State of the EU, EEA and Switzerland can be counted as periods of insurance in Greece. This also applies to persons falling within the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement concluded between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

In this chapter you will find information on sickness cash benefit.

In what situation can I claim?

The sickness benefit is the basic benefit provided to insured persons who – due to physical or mental illness – are unable to work temporarily or are absent from work for more than three days.

Please note that incapacity to work must be certified as of the first day by an EOPYY doctor, and after 15 days a medical certificate by the competent Health Committee is required.

What conditions do I need to meet?

In order to receive the sickness benefit, you must have been insured:

• for at least 120 days in the year preceding the illness (100 days for employees in the construction sector) or for the first 12 months of the 15 preceding the illness, or
• for at least 300 days of the 2 years, or 27 months of the 30, preceding the illness, or
• for at least 1,500 days, 600 of which must have been accumulated in the last 5 years prior to the incapacity to work due to the same illness, or
• for 4,500 days prior to the notification of the illness.

One day of work corresponds to one insurance day. The days of your annual paid leave are included in your days of employment.

As a rule, the sickness benefit is subject to tax.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Amount of benefit: the amount to be paid depends on your earnings in the last 30 days of the previous year.

In particular, every year during the first 15 days of the benefit, you are entitled to only 50% of the daily sickness benefit corresponding to your insurance category/class, which is determined on the basis of your earnings during the last days of the previous year, increased by 10% for every protected member.

Following this 15-day period, you are entitled to the full amount. Skilled labourers and construction workers are an exception; they receive 50% of their verified daily wage in the corresponding insurance category.

Duration of benefit: it increases according to the duration of your insurance contribution payments.

Depending on the patient’s age and insurance record, a 720 days’ benefit can be paid in the case that the requirement of the 1,500 or the 4,500 days is not fulfilled.

In order to receive the sickness benefit, you must submit the following:

• your health booklet (personal and family booklet),
• a statement from your employer specifying the time you have been off work,
• a certificate of your incapacity to work issued by an e-EFKA doctor,
• a statement of your personal social insurance account,
• The sickness benefit is either credited to your bank account or paid via the Hellenic Post.

Jargon busters

• Insurance class: in order to calculate all kinds of benefits in cash provided by the e-National Social Security Fund (e-EFKA), whose amounts depend on the insurance contributions of employees, insured persons are divided into insurance classes. Basically, insurance classes serve as a tool for determining the benefits received by an insured individual or pensioner.
• Personal social insurance account: e-EFKA digital service, through which you can draw your personal social insurance information as of 1 January 2002. The personal accounts of insured persons are kept electronically in the Integrated Information System and include the number of days of employment and other insurance data (employer, insurance branches, earnings, etc.), thus composing the insurance record of each insured person and establishing their rights to benefits.

Know your rights

The link below provides a legal definition of your rights. It is not an European Commission website, nor does it represent the views of the Commission:

• If you believe that the grounds provided by the Health Committee are not clear, specific or adequate, then you may file a report with the Greek Ombudsman.

Who do you need to contact?

e-National Social Security Fund (e-EFKA)

General Directorate for Benefits and Health
28ης Οκτωβρίου 54 (Πατησίων), 54, 28 Octovriou Ave (Patision)

10682 Αθήνα/Athens
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE
E-mail:gd.paroxon@efka.gov.gr
http://www.efka.gov.gr/

National Organisation for the Provision of Health Services (EOPYY)
Directorate of International Insurance Relations
Αποστόλου Παύλου 12/Apostolou Pavlou 12
151 23 Μαρούσι/Marousi, Αθήνα/Athens
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE
Tel.: +30 2108110916, 918, 919, 925 (from 8:00am to 15:00pm)
Website: www.eopyy.gov.gr

Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Directorate of Specialised Matters on Social Security and Provisions
Σταδίου 29/29 Stadiou street
101 10 Αθήνα/Athens
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE
Tel.: 2131516842, 1516752
Website: https://ypergasias.gov.gr/

1555 – Number for Citizens’ communication and service on insurance, labour and social issues www.1555.gov.gr