On health: the self-employed will start getting paid sick leave
The self-employed will begin to be granted sick leave. Such a proposal was made by the Ministry of Labour of the Russian Federation. It concerns voluntary insurance in the event of temporary incapacity for work. This scheme may prove useful to those who value financial stability and want to protect themselves in case of illness, experts point out. However, a certain amount of the insurance sum will not be enough for serious treatment. How the new measure will work - in the material "Izvestia".
Additional support
The self-employed will be able to receive paid sick leave. The corresponding experiment will start on January 1, 2026. The initiative was made by the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation. The draft law is posted on the portal of normative legal acts.
The purpose of the bill is to provide the self-employed with the possibility of voluntary insurance in case of temporary disability. With the help of the initiative, this category of citizens will be able to enter into legal relations with the Pension and Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation in order to receive benefits.
The bill allows the insured person to choose the amount of the sum insured. It is fixed at the level of 35 thousand and 50 thousand rubles. It is allowed to choose the size of the sum insured not more than once a year.
Full coverage will not be available immediately. In particular, after six months of continuous payment of contributions, the self-employed will be able to receive up to 70% of the total amount of insurance. Payments of 100% will be available after one year. The length of service will also affect the payment.
At the same time, the insured person has the right not to pay contributions for periods of temporary disability. And also for one calendar month during each six months of continuous contributions.
The amount of the monthly contribution for an insured amount of 35 thousand rubles will be 1344 rubles. If the sum insured is 50 thousand rubles, it will be equal to 1920 rubles.
For insured persons who have been paying insurance contributions for more than 18 and 24 months and have not received temporary disability benefits during this period, there is a mechanism of discounts to the monthly payment. It will amount to 10% and 30% respectively.
Interaction between the self-employed and insurers will be carried out through the application "My Tax" and electronic services of the Fund.
Demanded measure
The new draft law of the Ministry of Labor looks like a serious attempt to find a balance between the freedom of entrepreneurial activity and social protection, believes Sean Betrozov, a practicing lawyer of the Moscow Chamber of Lawyers, a member of the Association of Lawyers of Russia. The scheme is designed to help people working without an employer not to lose their income in case of illness.
- From the point of view of demand, the project may be quite attractive for those who are conscious of their financial risks and realize that during illness they will have to stop their activities completely, and thus lose their only source of income," says the Izvestia interlocutor.
The demand for the new scheme will depend on several factors, says Nikita Chaplin, a member of the State Duma Committee on Budget and Taxes. Among them, he emphasizes the amount of insurance premiums, the level of income of the self-employed and their need for social protection.
- For those who value financial stability and want to protect themselves in case of illness, such an opportunity may be attractive. However, for the self-employed with low incomes, monthly contributions may be burdensome," the parliamentarian warns.
Part of the audience is skeptical of such initiatives, fearing bureaucracy, hidden fees or high tariffs, Betrozov warns.
The sums of Br35 thousand and Br50 thousand may become a serious support for people who usually have no insurance guarantees, the lawyer admits.
- Often, having fallen ill, the self-employed continue to work from the last effort, just to avoid losing income. Now they may have a chance to focus on recovery, knowing that they will receive financial assistance, albeit limited," the expert notes.
However, the possible insurance amount is often insufficient for serious illnesses, recalls David Adams, general director of the AID professional legal group, lawyer. In this regard, such a system can only serve as an additional measure of support.
- In such a case, the payment will be a partial compensation of expenses. The insured will have to assess his risks sensibly and, perhaps, form additional reserves to avoid being in a difficult situation," Betrozov is convinced.
Uncomplicated task
When implementing the initiative, it is worth taking into account the administrative complexities, specifies David Adams. The self-employed, he says, may face the need to carefully document all contributions and comply with the requirements of the program.
- Many people wonder whether the benefit will be calculated on a uniform basis or depending on the accumulated length of service and the duration of participation in the insurance. In addition, it is not clear whether such rules will be able to maintain their force in the long term, because initiatives of this kind are often adopted on a test basis and can be adjusted in the future," says the expert.
The main difficulties may be associated with the regularity of payment of contributions, especially for those whose income is unstable, warns Nikita Chaplin. It is also important to take into account that the experiment will last only until 2028, which raises doubts about the long-term viability of the program, the deputy adds.
One of the key problems that the self-employed may face when trying to enter the new system is the information barrier, draws the attention of Sean Betrozov. Many people who apply a special tax regime, simply do not know about the existence of additional opportunities for social protection.
- If there is no large-scale educational campaign, some of the potential participants will remain in the shadows, not connected to the insurance programs, - the expert admits.
He also emphasizes bureaucratic difficulties. Many self-employed people, whose time is limited, will prefer to refuse insurance if receiving payments requires complicated paperwork and confirmation of illness in state agencies, Betrozov does not rule out.
Another factor that may become an additional problem is the financial burden, the lawyer believes.
- Even a small amount of insurance premium, which must be transferred regularly, may seem unaffordable for someone, if a person is used to living from order to order, without a stable profit. Not to mention the fact that premiums can increase periodically with unpredictable economic fluctuations," he explains.
Maria Koleda, head of the information department of the independent trade union "New Labor", emphasizes that theamount of payments is tied to the length of service of the self-employed.
- With more than eight years of experience, the amount of payments will be 100% of the selected amount, from five to eight years - 80%, and less than five years - only 60%. Moreover, if the amount of insurance coverage for the year exceeds the established limit, the next year the amount of the contribution increases by 10%," the expert reminds.
In this form, the bill, in her opinion, worsens the financial situation of the self-employed and contradicts the very idea of their institution.
- People already pay a minimum fixed tax on income and must provide for themselves in matters of pensions and medical care. Gradual tightening of conditions for the self-employed will only lead to the fact that they will be forced to go into the gray zone of the economy, - Koleda is sure.
Flexible approach
In general, the opportunity to receive paid sick leave may be attractive to those who seek to compensate for the risks associated with the temporary loss of income, Adams admits. However, voluntary contributions themselves create an additional financial burden, and the proposed level of insurance benefits cannot be considered a guarantee of full compensation for treatment costs. All these aspects, according to the expert, will make potential participants carefully weigh the benefits and risks before joining the program.
The new scheme has both advantages and limitations, Nikita Chaplin points out. Its success will depend on how flexibly it can adapt to the needs of the self-employed and how accessible it will be for different categories of citizens.
The real benefit for those who have chosen a special tax regime will depend on several factors, points out Sean Betrozov.
- First, on how accessible, understandable and simple the mechanism of joining the insurance system will be. Secondly, on whether the Ministry of Labor will conduct a broad information campaign, explain the details of the program, publish clear instructions and help people to understand the bureaucratic intricacies, - says the lawyer.
The third aspect, on which the effectiveness of the initiative depends, is related to clear regulations for confirming the diagnosis, the order and timing of payments, as well as the responsibility of the parties, he adds.
- Without transparent rules, any good idea can easily turn into an obstacle course for those who were counting on real benefits," the expert warns.
Betrozov is convinced that the insurance model proposed by the draft law may become in demand if everything is done competently, informatively and taking into account the interests of specific people. If the organization of the process will go the way of complex schemes and lack of information, those willing to participate in the experiment will be much less than expected.
- In any case, this experiment deserves attention because it reflects an inevitable trend of our time - the growing popularity of self-employment, which requires new approaches to social support and protection of citizens' rights," summarizes Betrozov.
