The Ministry of Labour explained how to stay at home for three days without sick leave on a legal basis

The Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of Belarus explained how an employer can release an employee from work due to illness for up to three calendar days without providing sick leave.

The employer has this right in accordance with clause 14 of Decree No. 143 dated April 24, 2020 “On supporting the economy”, the Ministry of Labour reminded.

“If an employee feels unwell, he/she can apply to his/her immediate supervisor with a request to be released from work due to poor health. At the same time, the employee has to agree with the employer upon a period of release from work, which can be one, two, three days (but not more than three days)“, the Ministry of Labour explained.

The procedure for interaction between the employee and the employer on the release of the employee from work can be fixed in the local legal act of the organization.

At the same time, employees should remember that release from work under these circumstances can only be provided by agreement with the employer.

“Release from work without providing a supporting document must not exceed three days in total during the period of the decree“, the Ministry of Labour specified.

It is also noted that this rule applies to all organizations.

“As regards the preservation of average earnings for the period of release from work, it may be provided for by a collective agreement, other local legal act of the organization, with the exception of budgetary organizations and other subsidized organizations the employees of which are equated in terms of wages with employees of budgetary organizations“, the Ministry of Labour told.