Financial Services, Health, Legislation, Lithuania, Society

In the first quarter of 2015, a total of 214,400 cases of temporary incapacity for work were recorded. This is by 36.4% more compared to the first quarter of 2014.

In the first three months of 2015, a total of EUR 50.5 million was spent on sickness allowances, i.e. by 32.6% or EUR 12.4 million more year-on-year.

"Because allowances were cut during crisis, the number of (recorded – ELTA) sickness cases and the total amount of payouts decreased by a third. But just as we expected, they returned to the previous level once allowances were reinstated. We took this into account when planning this year's budget," said Mindaugas Sinkevicius, Director of State Social Insurance Fund (Sodra).

For the first two days of temporary incapacity for work a sickness allowance of no less than 80% of the average pay is paid by an employer. Since the third day Sodra takes over paying sickness allowance equal to 80% of the average pay.

In 2014 Lithuanian residents submitted a total of 553,000 applications to receive sickness allowances. 56% of them were submitted online. In 2014 Sodra paid a total of EUR 141 million in sickness allowances.