Everything you need to know about e-sick leave when working from home

L4 online is a form of electronic sick leave (e-ZLA) that can be issued without the need for a personal visit to the office. In practice, it does not differ from the traditional L4 in terms of legal consequences or obligations of the employer and ZUS. The only difference is the form of contact with the doctor - instead of a stationary meeting, it takes place as part of an e-consultation (chat, video or telephone).

The electronic L4 goes directly to the ZUS system, where it is visible to the employer and the patient on the PUE ZUS platform. There is no need to provide a paper document, and the entire process is fully automated and completely safe.

Yes, online doctors have the same rights as a doctor seeing in the office and can issue a temporary incapacity for work. This also applies to the situation in which the patient works remotely. Incapacity for work means that the patient is unable to perform their professional duties regardless of whether they work from home or in the office.

The doctor makes the decision based on the medical interview and any documentation provided by the patient. If the symptoms, health condition or illness prevent concentration, using a computer or conducting conversations, the patient is entitled to sick leave in the same way as in the case of stationary work.

No. It does not matter to the employer whether the sick leave was issued during a stationary visit or online. The ZUS e-ZLA system does not contain information about the form of the medical consultation. The employer only sees standard data: sick leave dates, degree of incapacity for work and any recommendations (e.g. "the sick person should lie down").

From a formal perspective, L4 issued remotely is fully equivalent to a classic sick leave. Its legality and effectiveness do not depend on the way the consultation was conducted.

No. The e-ZLA system in Poland does not provide for partial sick leave, e.g. for a few hours a day. Sick leave always covers entire days, not selected parts of the working day. If the patient is unable to work, this inability applies to the entire working day, regardless of their work model.

In the case of hybrid work, when the symptoms of the disease prevent remote work, the doctor can issue a sick leave covering the days of work from home. The most important thing is for the patient to describe in detail to the doctor the scope of duties and their ability to perform them during the illness.

ZUS can check any sick leave, regardless of whether it concerns an office worker, a manual worker or a remote worker. The check can take two forms:

1. Formal control – analysis of medical documentation and data sent by the doctor.
2. Direct control – visits by ZUS inspectors to the patient's place of residence or stay (if an address is provided). Remote workers are obliged to follow the rules of sick leave in the same way as others. This means that they cannot work during sick leave or participate in other activities that could suggest that they are not truly incapable of work.

If ZUS finds that a person has used sick leave in a manner inappropriate for its intended purpose, it may suspend payment of sickness benefits and the employer may take disciplinary action.

Remember that honesty towards your doctor and employer is key. An online consultation does not mean less responsibility for the information provided during a medical interview. When is it worth considering L4, despite the possibility of working from home?

Although remote work provides flexibility, it does not mean that we are always able to do it. Chronic diseases, viral infections, severe migraine headaches, fever or concentration disorders are conditions that severely limit intellectual and physical capabilities.

Working in such a state can lead to a worsening of the health problem, lack of body regeneration and further decrease in efficiency. L4 online allows you to stop and rest, even if you work "only in front of the computer".

The pressure of efficiency, hustle culture and guilt make many people give up on L4 despite clear symptoms of illness. Meanwhile, rest and regeneration are not only a privilege but a necessity, especially in the case of:

• chronic stress,
• sleep disorders,
• symptoms of depression or anxiety,
• burnout,
• weakness after infection,
• complications following COVID-19.

L4 can be a form of mental health protection. ZUS and doctors increasingly accept these indications as justified. L4 online allows for quick contact with a doctor without having to leave home, which can be crucial in the case of mental health problems.

The doctor decides whether it is justified to issue a sick leave based on the medical history, reported symptoms and the documentation provided (if available). In an online consultation, just like in a stationary one, the doctor has the right to refuse to issue a sick leave if he sees no indication.

In a situation where symptoms indicate limited ability to work, the doctor not only can, but simply should, issue L4. The final decision always rests with the specialist, regardless of the patient's intentions.

Patients do not have to feel obliged to prove their illness – an honest, reliable description of the ailment is enough. L4 online is a convenience created with the need for quick support in health problems in mind, including those that do not require physical presence at the doctor's.