What are the sick leave entitlements in Greece?

In Greece, sick leave is managed according to specific legal provisions, with clear guidelines on compensation and the required procedures.

Medical certificate requirement:
Employees must provide a medical certificate after 1 day of absence due to illness.
Sickness compensation:
- For sickness lasting up to 3 days:
  The employer (ER) is required to pay 100% of the employee’s salary. This is more generous than the minimum 50% salary required by law, as Horizons’ internal policy ensures full compensation for up to 3 days of sickness.
- For sickness lasting longer than 3 days:
  The employer must pay 50% of the employee’s salary, and the Social Security system will cover the remaining 50% of the salary.
Sick leave duration and employer responsibility:
- If the employee has been employed for less than a year, the employer is responsible for paying sick leave for up to 15 days.
- For employees with more than a year of service, the employer must pay sick leave for up to 30 days.
Social Security coverage:
After the initial period of employer responsibility, Social Security provides benefits:
- If the employee has been employed for more than 120 days, Social Security covers up to 182 days of sickness.
- If the employee has been employed for more than 300 days, Social Security covers up to 360 days of sickness.

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