e-ZLA sick leave: how to report your absence

The doctor sends the e-ZLA sick leave electronically to the employer and to ZUS without your involvement. It does not replace notifying the employer of your absence. Under an employment contract you must inform the employer yourself of the reason and the expected duration of the absence, no later than the second day of your absence from work.

e-ZLA and notification: two separate duties

The second duty comes from the regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 15 May 1996 on the manner of justifying absences from work (rozporządzenie Ministra Pracy i Polityki Socjalnej z 15 maja 1996 r.). The e-ZLA itself reaches the employer electronically, not the supervisor who schedules shifts, and it may only be read after the shift has already started. That is why notifying the reason and expected duration of the absence is a separate duty.

Under a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenia), the regulation does not apply directly. The rules for reporting an absence then depend on the contract, so check it before your first shift.

By when to report the absence

Notification should be immediate. Internal work rules or other workplace regulations may set their own method of reporting. If your shift starts in the morning and you go to the doctor that same morning, it is simplest to send a message before your shift starts and add the leave number after the visit.

How to report illness to the employer

The regulation allows several forms: in person, through another person, by phone, by text message, by email, or by post. Internal work rules may specify which one applies at a given employer.

1. Check in your contract or the internal work rules who you notify and in what form.
2. Send a text message or email stating: illness, expected number of days, date of the doctor's visit.
3. If you call, send a short text message afterward with the same information, so your supervisor has it in writing when scheduling the shift.

Who to notify when working through an agency

In temporary work, the employer is the agency, while you work at the user employer's site (pracodawca użytkownika). Notify both sides: the agency coordinator, because the agency settles the absence, and the supervisor at the site, because they arrange the shift staffing. The Amer coordinator answers the phone daily, except during night hours, so send a night-time notification by text message.

To issue the e-ZLA, the doctor needs your PESEL number and the employer's details. When working through an agency, you give the agency's NIP number (tax ID), not the site's. Save it in your phone along with the coordinator's number and the clinic's.

What happens if you fail to notify

Under an employment contract, failing this duty through intentional fault or gross negligence can be treated as a serious breach of basic employee duties (art. 52 par. 1 pkt 1 of the Labour Code, Kodeks pracy). This can be grounds for termination without notice, also when the sick leave itself was justified. Fault matters: simple forgetfulness is assessed differently from a situation where notification was not possible. Under a contract of mandate, the consequences of not reporting depend on the terms of the contract.

Who checks the leave and what not to do

ZUS controls the correct use of sick leave. A larger employer that reports a sufficiently large number of people for sickness insurance may carry out such a check itself; for smaller ones, only ZUS does it.

During sick leave you must not:

• perform paid work, including for another principal (zleceniodawca),
• act in a way that hinders your recovery.

Using the leave contrary to its purpose means losing the right to sickness benefit for the entire period of that leave. Pay during illness depends on the type of contract and sickness insurance, covered in the article on sick pay and sickness benefit.

Leave to care for a child or family member

The doctor also issues an e-ZLA for caring for a sick child or another sick family member. For this time, a care allowance (zasiłek opiekuńczy) from ZUS is due if you are covered by sickness insurance. The number of care days per calendar year is limited by law and does not depend on the number of children, so for a longer child illness ask ZUS how many days remain. How a family gets access to a doctor is covered in the article on NFZ and employee healthcare.

Current job offers and employment terms for specific positions are on the for employees page.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to call the employer if the doctor issued an e-ZLA?

Yes, under an employment contract notification is a separate duty. It does not have to be a phone call: a text message or email is enough if the internal work rules do not specify another form. Under a contract of mandate, the method of reporting follows from the contract.

Am I allowed to travel, including abroad, while on sick leave?

The law does not ban travel outright, but it must not hinder your recovery, and ZUS may check whether the leave is being used for its purpose. Use contrary to that purpose means losing the benefit for the entire period of the leave.

Do I need a medical check after sick leave?

Under an employment contract, after a longer sickness absence a control check before returning to work is sometimes required. The referral is issued by the employer; in temporary work, ask the coordinator who arranges it.

What if I forgot to report my absence on time?

Report it as soon as you notice and state the reason for the delay. The consequences depend on whether the failure was intentional or grossly negligent, not just on the reporting date itself.

This text describes the general rules. What you are entitled to depends on your type of contract: an employment contract (umowa o pracę) or a contract of mandate (umowa zlecenie). Your own contract and payslip are what count.