Christmas bonus - Sickness allowance due to sickness due to illness

There are three different rates for the sick pay paid by the EFKA because of COVID-19 and the employees’ respective leave entitlements. The Super Fund essentially covers to provide sick leave benefits only to employees who contract COVID-19 themselves and are therefore placed in quarantine. When employees – insured are placed in quarantine and under home confinement because they have been in contact with a confirmed case or because they are vulnerable group are not eligible for sickness benefits from EFKA.

As is in fact clarified, an insured employee who has received a sickness benefit from EFKA during the period from Easter through December 24— are also entitled to a Christmas gift from the Hyper-Fund, provided that an online application is submitted on or after December 18.

A detailed briefing note from a senior official of the EFKA in the region, it provides valuable clarifications regarding the Superfund's approach to medical reports. The new guidelines concern a a large number of private-sector workers that are subject to the provisions of the former. IKA but also those who work at NGO under an employment contract Fixed-Term Contract Under Private Law (IDOCH), who are under stay-at-home orders due to the coronavirus.

According to the EFKA (formerly IKA) Sick Leave Regulations, medical certificates issued due to COVID-19 are categorized as follows:

1. Work-from-home restrictions for employees due to contact with a confirmed case (asymptomatic): A medical certificate is not a sick leave note but a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Even if it mistakenly refers to “sick leave,” it is not submitted to the EFKA Benefits Department but to the employer, in order to implement the measure providing for the granting of 7- or 14-day leave with pay and compensation under 50% for 1 hour of overtime beyond the daily contractual work hours, after the quarantine ends, without additional pay.
2. Worker Protection Measures because they belong to a vulnerable population group: A medical certificate is not a sick leave authorization but a measure to protect employees. A medical certificate, even if it inadvertently refers to “sick leave,”, is submitted to the employer in order to implement the provisions regarding vulnerable groups. It should be noted that the employer is required to switch to remote work an employee who belongs to a vulnerable group. If telework is not feasible, then back-office job termination. If that is not feasible either, the third option is the suspension of a contract with a term ending on 12/31. Please note that the following may be subject to contract suspension: only vulnerable groups that have been classified as “high-risk”. In contrast, vulnerable groups classified as “moderate risk” cannot be placed on leave but may only work remotely or in back-office roles.
3. House Arrest and Sick Leave employees who become ill and have tested positive. The EFKA (formerly IKA) Health Benefits Department does not provide insured individuals with tests, except for with a medical certificate authorizing sick leave. To obtain it, employees must contact by phone either the health facility that issued their positive test result or their doctor (whether or not affiliated with EOPYY, and of the relevant specialty), inform them of the test result, and request a medical certificate granting them sick leave starting on the date of the test.