Health Minister Vili Beros said on Monday that stricter measures against false sick leave would be introduced while Croatian Health Insurance Fund (HZZO) inspectors would be given greater powers, including the power to immediately cancel any unjustified sick leave.

“Our goal is to strengthen the role of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund, which will significantly reduce the possibility of manipulation. That will be achieved with more frequent emergency inspections and giving HZZO the power to immediately cancel sick leave if any irregularities are identified,” Beros said in reaction to a HZZO report showing an increase in the number of sick leave days in the past year.

Abuse of sick leave should no longer be tolerated and we plan to eliminate it with legislative amendments that are part of the health care reform, said Beros.

A record of 20.1 million days of sick leave were recorded in Croatia in 2021, despite the fact that HZZO inspectors cancelled 35 percent of sick leave after examinations were conducted.

Analysing the existing sick leave system in Croatia as well as the models in other European countries, the ministry and HZZO have conducted consultations with the Croatian Employers’ Association (HUP) to discuss necessary changes in the sick leave system in order to further improve the existing model and ultimately increase the efficiency of health care as well as the competitiveness of the economy.

Announcing the health care reform in recent days, Beros said that sick leave costs the HZZO and employers 3 billion kuna a year.