Polish Social Insurance Authority intensifies sick-leave audits, saving billions of zlotys

From January through June ZUS conducted 219,700 audits of workers’ incapacity for work, leading to 10,500 rulings that suspend further sick-pay benefits. The value of the stopped payments exceeded 10.5 thousand decisions, while the overall reduction in benefit levels after the end of the sickness insurance amounted to 143.67 million zlotys. New legislation effective 13 April allows firms with up to 20 employees to commission their own L4 checks, prompting a 42 percent increase in demand among SMEs compared with the first quarter.

Conperio, a consultancy specializing in absenteeism, recorded this surge and noted that 36 percent of the checks it performed revealed irregularities, most commonly recreational travel, paid employment, or garden and renovation work during the leave period. These findings suggest that a notable share of sick-leave claims are not being used as intended.