How much will sick leave payments increase from January 1, 2026
Starting from the new year, Russians will receive a significant increase in temporary disability benefits. The changes will affect millions of working citizens. Izvestia reports on how the payment system works today and what will change from January 1, 2026.
What is a sick leave and who is entitled to it?
A disability certificate, or sick leave, is an official document that confirms a person's temporary inability to perform their work duties due to illness, injury, or other legally prescribed circumstances. He not only relieves the employee from work, but also guarantees him financial support in the form of benefits.
Officially employed workers, civil servants, as well as individual entrepreneurs and the self-employed who voluntarily pay insurance premiums to the Social Fund of Russia (SFR) have the right to receive sick leave.
A medical organization issues a sick leave in various situations. These include the illness or injury of the employee himself, as well as caring for a sick family member, such as a child. In addition, a disability certificate is issued during pregnancy and childbirth, quarantine, as well as during sanatorium treatment.
However, there are a number of exceptions. Citizens undergoing medical examinations or in custody cannot receive sick leave. A disability certificate is also not required for people with chronic diseases without exacerbation or deterioration.
How to apply for a sick leave
Since 2022, a system of electronic disability certificates (ELS) has been operating in Russia, which has greatly simplified the process of obtaining them. To apply for sick leave, you must consult a doctor at a polyclinic or, if your health condition does not allow you to visit a medical facility, call a doctor at home. You must have a passport and a compulsory medical insurance (CHI) policy with you.
After the examination, the medical worker registers the sick leave in a single system, the patient is informed only of the number of the electronic leaflet. Information about open sick leave is immediately sent to the SFR, after which the fund notifies the employer through the SED system (social electronic document management). The employee himself can find the document in his personal account on the Gosuslugi portal.
New rules and payment amounts from January 1, 2026
Significant adjustments will be made to the sick leave payment system starting in 2026. According to the Social Fund, payments will increase, and the fee for a day of absence from work may increase by up to 1.2 thousand rubles. The maximum amount of the daily allowance will reach 6827.4 rubles. In the following years, growth will continue: in 2027, the maximum will be 7,860 rubles per day, and in 2028 — 8,489 rubles.
The minimum amount of temporary disability benefits will increase due to an increase in the minimum wage, which will rise to 27,093 rubles in 2026.
The amount of the benefit, as before, will be calculated for each employee individually based on his length of service and average earnings for the two calendar years preceding the year of payment assignment. Thus, to calculate sick leave in 2026, income for 2024 and 2025 will be taken into account.
How is sick leave paid in 2025
This year, there is a well-established procedure for paying sick leave. The first three days of temporary disability are paid for at the expense of the employer. Starting from the fourth day, the financial burden is assumed by the Social Fund of Russia.
Sick leave in 2025 is calculated based on the employee's income for two years and his work experience. The total earnings in the billing period are divided into 730 days. The maximum amount of sick leave per day is 5,673.97 rubles for people with more than eight years of experience.
The SFR transfers the allowance to the employee's bank account within 10 business days of receiving the sick leave information.
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