Which countries in Europe have the best sick leave?

While the UK is considered to have a good amount of annual leave, it isn’t quite the same for when employees get sick.

Falling ill is bad enough, without the worries of how much you’ll be losing if you have to miss work. What’s more, 47% of UK employers don’t provide more than the minimum statutory sick pay (SSP), leading to workers either receiving a reduced salary or forcing themselves to keep working when they’re unwell. 

SSP is currently £116.75 per week for up to 28 weeks, which many say is too low and doesn’t meet the basic living standards.

So, it isn’t surprising that the UK’s sick leave is less than favourable, but how does it look for other European countries? Here are five countries across the continent with the most generous sick leave policies.

1. Norway

The Northern Lights and the famous fjords may fascinate you, but so will Norway’s paid leave policies, including its maternity leave and sick leave.

For sick leave, Norwegian employers offer 100% of an employee’s salary for up to one year, so there’s no need to worry about missing out on pay. To be eligible, an employee must have worked at their organisation for at least four weeks, but can also claim sick leave if they’re employed in another Nordic/EEA country.

Workers don’t necessarily need a doctor’s note (AKA a fit note) either, as they can use self-certification to report any illnesses or injuries. However, in this case, they must have worked for their employer for at least two months and if their absence goes over three days, the employer can request a medical certificate.

2. Switzerland

You’ll be yodelling with joy (or jealousy) from the Swiss mountain tops when you hear about Switzerland’s generous sick leave. Offering more than two years of paid leave, it has the longest sick leave allowance in the world. While this is paid at 80% of an employee’s salary, Swiss salaries are considered to be much higher than the UK and other countries, with an average of 60,000 Swiss francs (approx. £52782.90) annually, mainly due to its higher cost of living.

Employees are entitled to Switzerland’s sick leave once they’ve been employed for at least three months. Employers also have the right to request a medical report after a certain number of days. While there’s no legal maximum, Swiss employers typically expect the report after three days of absence.

That said, some employers don’t have sick leave insurance, so the amount an employee is paid while off sick will depend on the length of employment and the model their employer uses, which is either the “Basel”, “Bern” or “Zurich” model. Employees won’t be paid sick pay for the first three months under any of these models but can receive between 3 and 31 weeks of sick leave per year, from the fourth month onwards of their employment.

3. Luxembourg

Luxembourg may be a small country, but its high level of wealth means that its employers can offer a reasonable sick leave allowance. Employees get 100% of their wages during sick leave for up to 89 weeks, which is equivalent to more than a year and six months.

The first 11 weeks are covered by the employer. From there, the country’s National Health Service, the Caisse Nationale de Santé (CNS), will cover the rest. Self-employed individuals can also claim sick pay through the CNS as well. 

However, there is a catch. Under Luxembourg law, employees aren’t allowed to leave their homes during the first five days of sickness, even if a doctor’s note permits it. The CNS also carries out checks on sick employees (either by itself or through an employer’s request), and if a worker is absent from their home, they could be fine. So if you’re thinking of pulling a sickie only to hit the bar later with your friends, think again.

4. Denmark

Denmark is a huge fan of employee protection, and the country’s sick pay leave policy doesn’t fall short of that.

Danish employers offer staff 100% of their salary during sick leave. Similar to Luxembourg, the employer is responsible for paying the employee at their normal rate, though this is only for the first 30 days. After that, the employee can claim sick leave from their local municipal authority.

Employees are entitled to paid sick leave for a maximum of 22 weeks within nine months. They’ll also only be eligible if they’ve been working for the same company for at least two months and have worked a minimum of 74 hours during this period.

However, in April 2024, the Danish Supreme Court passed a new judgement that would enable employers to terminate an employee’s contract on one month’s notice once their absence hits 120 days within 12 months.

5. Germany

Healthcare benefits are a huge thing in Germany. While plenty of businesses in other countries offer healthcare as part of their perks and benefits, Germany takes it a step further by making health insurance a legal requirement for employers.

So naturally, it makes sense that German employers also offer a good level of sick pay leave as well. Unlike the UK’s SSP, Germany’s Continued Remuneration Act allows grants a much more generous amount for employees.

Workers can receive 100% of their salary during the first six weeks of illness. After that, they’ll receive the benefit directly from their health insurance, which is 70% of their gross salary. Depending on the employer’s policy and guidelines, employees may be required to provide a doctor’s note.

Conclusion

Compared to these countries, it’s pretty clear that the UK is lacking when it comes to offering a decent sick leave policy. 

Even after the rise in SSP following the government’s Employment Rights Bill, there is still a lot left to be desired. Given that most of these countries offer a full salary during sick leave, the UK could take a leaf out of those books to improve its own sick leave, especially if it wants to tackle the likes of The Great Detachment and the motherhood penalty.

Still, some UK companies offer their own sick pay (known as contractual sick pay, or CSP), so if you’re a small business and are keen on retaining the best employees, a good level of CSP is something you could offer to attract top talent and build an engaged workforce.