Every fourth sick leave in Ukraine is unjustified: inspection results

Every fourth sick leave in Ukraine is unjustified: inspection results

According to ХВИЛЯ: In Ukraine, it has been found that almost every fourth sick leave certificate is unjustified. This was determined during the inspection of sick leaves for the first half of 2025. According to the data, 22.8% of the inspected sick leaves were found to be baseless, indicating a growing problem in this area.

The Cabinet of Ministers adopted a resolution on December 17, 2024, which became the basis for conducting these inspections. In the first half of 2025, more than 4,200 sick leaves were checked. In comparison, in 2024, 5,931 sick leaves were checked, and the share of unjustified sick leaves at that time was 18.2%. In 2023, this figure was 16.5%, and in 2021 it was significantly lower - only 2.4%.

Proposals from the Ministry of Social Policy

In light of the findings, the Ministry of Social Policy proposed to allow representatives of the Pension Fund to check the justification of sick leaves. This could be an additional step in the fight against unjustified sick leave certificates and improving their quality in Ukraine.

The increase in the share of unjustified sick leave certificates in Ukraine marks a serious problem in the healthcare system, which may lead to economic losses for the state. The proposed measures regarding the implementation of checks by the Pension Fund may help improve the situation; however, their effectiveness will depend on the implementation and support from medical institutions and doctors.

Additional initiatives may include:

• educational programs for medical staff regarding the proper issuance of sick leave certificates.