From January 1, 2012, the employers will pay allowances for temporary incapacity for work to employees for the second, third and fourth day of the sick leave. Relevant amendments to the legislation were approved by the Government. Until now, the employers paid only for the second day of sick leave, while the benefit for the next days was paid from the state social insurance budget, Info-Prim Neo reports. The allowances for persons with social diseases, for maternity and childcare will be paid from the state social insurance budget for all the days. According to Deputy Minister of Labor, Social Protection and Family Sergiu Sainciuc, the amendments will contribute to increasing the responsibility of the employers for improving the work conditions and reducing costs for paying the given allowances. About 72 million lei will be saved next year as a result of these amendments. Leonid Cerescu, chairman of the National Confederation of Employers of Moldova, said the rise in the number of days of temporary incapacity for work for which the employers must pay allowances is nothing else but an indirect tax on the economic entities. According to the Ministry of Labor, Social Protection and Family, the payments for temporary incapacity for work made from the state social insurance budget rose from 231 million lei in 2006 to 598 million lei in 2010.