How Czech sick pay is calculated in 2026
The employer pays wage compensation for missed shifts during the first 14 calendar days. From day 15, ČSSZ pays sickness benefit for every calendar day.
A Czech sick-pay calculation in 2026 has two separate stages. For an employee covered by sickness insurance, the employer pays wage compensation during the first 14 calendar days, but only for missed scheduled shifts and paid public holidays. From day 15, ČSSZ pays sickness benefit for every calendar day. Self-employed people, some agreements and cross-border cases follow different rules. Both stages use reduction thresholds, so neither amount is a simple percentage of monthly gross salary.
Wage compensation
What the employer pays during the first 14 days
The employer pays 60% of reduced average hourly earnings for missed shifts and paid public holidays.
Payroll starts with average hourly earnings rather than the current monthly salary. For 2026, the hourly reduction thresholds are 285,78 Kč / 428,58 Kč / 856,98 Kč. Payroll counts 90% up to the first threshold, 60% between the first and second, and 30% between the second and third. Earnings above the third threshold do not enter the calculation.
The employer takes 60% of the reduced result and multiplies it by the missed working hours. Two people with the same monthly salary can therefore receive different compensation when their shift patterns differ.
The legal basis is Section 192 of the Czech Labour Code.
ČSSZ benefit
How ČSSZ calculates sickness benefit from day 15
ČSSZ uses a reduced daily assessment base and pays for every calendar day.
The base normally uses assessable income from the previous 12 calendar months. The 2026 daily thresholds are 1 633 Kč / 2 449 Kč / 4 897 Kč. ČSSZ counts 90% up to the first threshold, 60% to the second, and 30% to the third.
The income is divided by the number of counted calendar days, which gives the daily assessment base. From day 15, benefit is paid for every calendar day, weekends included, using the daily thresholds rather than the hourly thresholds of the employer stage. The ordinary support period lasts up to 380 calendar days from the start of incapacity.
Worked method
A worked Czech sick-pay example
A simple example shows why the two stages cannot be combined.
Employer example: CZK 250 an hour is reduced to CZK 225. Sixty percent is CZK 135 per missed hour. Nine eight-hour shifts give an estimate of CZK 9,720 before rounding.
ČSSZ example: a daily base of CZK 1,500 is reduced to CZK 1,350. From day 15 to day 30, 60% gives an estimated CZK 810 per calendar day.
For your own estimate, use the MPSV 2026 calculator, then compare the result with payroll or ČSSZ.
Special cases
What changes after employment ends and for the self-employed
Not everyone goes through the first 14 days in the same way. After employment ends, or in self-employment, the result differs from the standard case of an employee.
If your employment has already ended and the illness begins within the protection period, you may still be entitled to sickness benefit. The protection period is 7 calendar days from the end of the insurance, provided the insured employment lasted at least that long. If it lasted less, the protection period is only as many days as the insurance lasted.
Once the employment has ended, there is no employer to pay wage compensation for the first 14 days. ČSSZ can pay from day 15, but the first two weeks are left without wage compensation. For self-employed people, sickness insurance is voluntary, and there is no employer compensation for that period either.
- Employee with a current contract: the employer pays the first 14 days; sickness benefit from day 15.
- Former employee within the protection period: possible sickness benefit from day 15, but no employer compensation for the first two weeks.
- Self-employed: no employer compensation; sickness benefit only from day 15 and only if the insurance conditions are met.
Protection period and support period: ČSSZ — detailed information. Rules for the self-employed: MPSV — sickness insurance in 2026.
If the amount looks wrong
What to verify with payroll and ČSSZ
First identify which of the two payments is being calculated.
- How many shifts and hours were missed in the first 14 days?
- Which average hourly earnings did payroll use?
- On which date did ČSSZ take over payment?
- Which income and excluded days entered the daily base?
- Does the MPSV estimate use the same information as payroll or ČSSZ?
- Did the incapacity begin just after your employment ended, so that no right to employer compensation arose?
- Is this a longer absence in which the rate has risen after day 30 or day 60?
Our separate guide explains how Czech eNeschopenka works. If you need a medical assessment, see the online sick-note consultation. A doctor cannot guarantee a sick note or a particular benefit amount.
Global Health Czechia
Sick note and medical assessment
ČSSZ calculates the benefit; a doctor assesses whether health reasons justify incapacity for work.
Do you need a medical assessment?
A Czech doctor can assess whether your condition justifies incapacity for work. The employer and ČSSZ determine the payment.
Official sources
Rules for 2026
Checked on 25 August 2026.
The employer calculates exact wage compensation; ČSSZ calculates exact sickness benefit.
Frequently asked questions
Czech sick pay in 2026
Who pays during the first 14 days?
The employer pays wage compensation for missed shifts and paid public holidays. ČSSZ starts paying sickness benefit from the 15th calendar day.
What percentage does ČSSZ pay?
It pays 60% from days 15-30, 66% from days 31-60 and 72% from day 61, always after reducing the daily assessment base.
Where is the official calculator?
MPSV publishes a 2026 benefit calculator. It is only an estimate because it may not know your actual hourly average, shifts, assessment period or excluded days.
What is the difference between employer compensation and ČSSZ benefit?
Employer compensation is the first stage set by labour law. ČSSZ sickness benefit is the statutory sickness-insurance benefit from day 15. The payer, the calculation base and whether working time or calendar days are counted all change.
What are the 2026 reduction thresholds?
For ČSSZ benefit they are CZK 1,633, CZK 2,449 and CZK 4,897 a day. For employer compensation, the law converts them into hourly thresholds of CZK 285.78, CZK 428.58 and CZK 856.98 by multiplying by 0.175.
Why did I receive less than expected in the first two weeks?
Usually because the employer does not pay every calendar day in that stage. It compensates only missed working time and paid public holidays, using reduced average hourly earnings rather than a simple percentage of gross salary.
Do I receive anything if I fall ill after my employment ends?
If the incapacity begins within the protection period, you may be entitled to sickness benefit from day 15. There is no employer compensation for the first 14 days, because the employment has already ended.
