As of August 28, data from medical leave certificates for compensation payment for temporary work incapacity is transferred by doctors to the National House of Social Insurance through the government electronic platform MConnect. The Minister of Health, Labor and Social Protection, Ala Nemerenco, said during a press briefing that the applicant will continue to be issued a hard copy of the medical certificate, so as to present it to the employer.
The minister says that, according to the Law on payments for temporary disability and other social insurance benefits, starting July 1, the establishment, calculation and payment of the compensation is provided directly by CNAS. The allowance for the first five days of sick leave in case of common illnesses or accidents not related to work will be calculated and paid by the employer. However, paid sick leave will not exceed 15 cumulative days during a year for the same employee.
Ala Nemerenco added that the role of the medical-healthcare institutions is to enter medical certificates data, issued after July 1, into the the MConnect platform and to inform the patients about the new regulations. The minister expressed her hope that in the near future, medical leave certificates, including certificates that will reach employers, will be issued only in electronic form.
"The use of the medical leave certificates portal aims to establish a system of records and systematic control over the payment method of the temporary disability allowance and to conform to international experience”, the minister said.
In March, it was announced that medical leave certificate will be issued in electronic format starting July 1. The minister of health said that the reason for the implementation delay of the electronic medical certificate is that the first winner of the public procurement tender, after a few months, refused to perform their obligations under the contract, because it did not meet the agreed deadlines. Thus, the ministry was forced to repeatedly launch the procurement procedure.
