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The number of “waiting days” for the standard Sick Benefit payment will be reduced from six days to three.
This will mean that the payment will now be paid from the fourth day of illness and the changes will take effect from today.
Since January 2014, payment of sickness benefit started from the seventh day of sickness and no payment was made for the first six days, known as “waiting days”.
Sickness benefit is a short-term payment that is available to PRSI-insured employees in classes A, E, and H.
Speaking about the changes, Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys said: “In Budget 2021, I was pleased to restore the original ‘three day waiting’ condition for payment of sickness benefit.
“Reducing the number of ‘waiting days’ for sickness benefits will help reduce the financial burden on employees who become ill.
“Most people who get sick only do so for a short period of time. During the last few years, all employees who became ill and claimed sickness benefit from the Department of Social Protection did not receive payment during the first week (six days) that they were without work.
The reduction in waiting days is expected to have a significant impact on the number of people who can benefit.
Last year, the Department of Social Protection received some 200,000 applications for Sickness Benefit and each of those employees would have had to give up six days of waiting.
Minister Humphreys also reminded people that there are no waiting days for the special Covid-19 Enhanced Sickness Benefit payment, which is paid, subject to a doctor’s medical certification, from the first day of a person to whom self-isolation is diagnosed or required.
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