Electronic sick leave (e-sick leave) is part of the ongoing digitalization of the healthcare system in Serbia. The main idea behind this system is that doctors record information about an employee’s temporary incapacity for work electronically within the healthcare information system. This reduces the need for manual processing and paper documentation. Such digital records enable more efficient data management within the healthcare system and improve the accuracy of sick leave records.
When an employee visits a doctor and temporary incapacity for work is established, the doctor opens the sick leave and enters the relevant data into the healthcare information system. In this process, basic information is recorded, including the start date of the sick leave and the expected duration of the employee’s temporary inability to work. These records are maintained within the healthcare system and are used for official purposes and by competent institutions when necessary.
Despite the development of electronic systems, in practice employers may still receive a confirmation or sick leave certificate from the employee, as the way information is delivered to the employer can depend on internal company procedures and applicable regulations. For this reason, employees are generally expected to inform their employer about the start of their sick leave in a timely manner, in accordance with the rules that apply within the company.
The rules regarding salary compensation during sick leave have not changed with the introduction of electronic records. According to regulations governing health insurance, the employer pays salary compensation to the employee for the first 30 days of temporary incapacity for work. After that period, salary compensation is processed in accordance with the rules defined by the Republic Health Insurance Fund of Serbia and the provisions of the Health Insurance Act.
The introduction of electronic sick leave records aims to simplify administrative procedures in the long term, reduce the amount of paper documentation, and improve the exchange of information between healthcare institutions and relevant authorities. This initiative is part of the broader digital transformation of the public sector in Serbia, intended to make administrative and healthcare systems more efficient.