Sick Pay in Czechia 2026: Rates, Calculation, Examples and Sick-Leave Rules
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If you are an employee in Czechia and fall ill, your employer pays you for the first 14 days, and the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) pays sickness benefit from day 15. Both are calculated from your reduced average earnings: 60% for the first 30 days, 66% from day 31 and 72% from day 61. There are no unpaid waiting days; the old three-day rule ended in July 2019.
Around Prague checked the 2026 rates and limits against ČSSZ data on 21 October 2026.
Who pays and how much
| Days of sick leave | Who pays | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1–14 | Employer (náhrada mzdy) | 60% of reduced average earnings |
| 15–30 | ČSSZ (nemocenská) | 60% of the reduced daily base |
| 31–60 | ČSSZ | 66% |
| 61 onwards | ČSSZ | 72% |
Sickness benefit is paid for up to 380 days. It is not taxed and no insurance is deducted from it.
How the daily base is reduced in 2026
ČSSZ takes your earnings from the previous 12 months and divides them by the number of calendar days. That daily figure is then cut back in bands:
- up to CZK 1,633: 90% counts;
- CZK 1,633–2,449: 60% counts;
- CZK 2,449–4,897: 30% counts;
- above CZK 4,897: nothing counts.
Examples for 2026 (approximate)
| Gross / month | Reduced daily base | Per day, days 15–30 | Days 31–60 | From day 61 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CZK 35,000 | CZK 1,036 | CZK 621 | CZK 684 | CZK 746 |
| CZK 48,967 | CZK 1,449 | CZK 869 | CZK 956 | CZK 1,043 |
| CZK 60,000 | CZK 1,673 | CZK 1,004 | CZK 1,104 | CZK 1,205 |
| CZK 80,000 | CZK 2,014 | CZK 1,208 | CZK 1,329 | CZK 1,450 |
A full month of sickness benefit on the average wage is about CZK 26,000, compared with roughly CZK 38,500 net pay.
How sick leave works in practice
- See your doctor. Your GP (praktický lékař) issues an electronic sick note (eNeschopenka), which goes to ČSSZ and your employer automatically.
- Tell your employer without delay that you are on sick leave.
- Follow the sick-leave regime. Stay at the address you gave; walks are allowed only at the times your doctor sets. ČSSZ and employers can check, and breaking the rules can cost you the benefit.
- Ending the sick leave. The doctor closes it in the system, and ČSSZ pays the benefit to your account or by post.
No GP yet? See our guide to registering with a doctor.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are the first three days of sick leave unpaid in Czechia?
No. Since 1 July 2019 the employer pays wage compensation from the first day.
Do foreigners get sick pay?
Yes. Foreign employees with Czech health and social insurance have the same rights as Czech citizens.
Do self-employed people get sickness benefit?
Only if they pay voluntary sickness insurance, and only from day 15 of illness.
Is sick pay taxed?
The employer's wage compensation for days 1–14 is not subject to insurance contributions but is taxed; the ČSSZ benefit from day 15 is tax-free.
Around Prague, based on ČSSZ, ČSSZ: nemocenské
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