Self-certified sick leave
Self-certification means that you notify your employer that you cannot work due to illness or injury without having to submit a medical certificate.
- You can use self-certification:
- When you have worked at UiO for at least two months.
- When you are away from work for at least one full day.
Note: When you are sick for less than a full day, you register the time you have worked as regular working hours and the time you have had sick leave as working hours with attendance/absence type Sick part of day in the self-service portal, see user guide (dfo.no). - For up to 8 days within 16 calendar days.
- For a total of 24 calendar days during a 12-month period.
- You cannot, however, use self-certification:
- Prior to having worked at least 16 calendar days after having used 8 self-certification days.
- Before you have been at work for at least 1 day after being on sick leave for less than 16 calendar days with a medical certificate.
- When you are on partial sick leave
- Prior to having been at work for at least 16 calendar days after having been absent for more than 16 calendar days.
- Prior to having worked for at least 1 month after returning from parental leave.
- Prior to having worked for at least 2 months after another type of leave of absence.
- When you are on leave without pay.
- When you are on holiday. Read more about sickness and holiday.
- When you receive a work assessment allowance.
- Also as part-time employee you can use self-certified sick leave
However, since self-certified sick leave can only be used for whole work days, the self-certified sick leave period for part-time employees is calculated according to special rules. - Self-certification absences must be recorded in the self-service portal
- Work-related sick leave: When you register self-certified sick leave in the self-service portal, you will be asked to state whether the sick leave is work-related or not. Work-related sick leave is used if you believe the sick leave may be due to physical and/or psychosocial conditions in the workplace. If you register the sick leave as work-related, your manager will contact you about any facilitation needs and how new work-related absences can be prevented.
- Hourly paid employees who do not have access to the self-service portal
Submit self-certification form (word).
Sick leave certified by a doctor
- You are required to visit a doctor and obtain a medical certificate if your sick leave lasts beyond the days for which you are entitled to self-certify.
- You must submit a digital medical certificate. If this is not possible, you submit a medical certificate on paper.
Sick child or child minder
If your child or the child's minder is ill, you are entitled to family care leave.
The right to sickness benefits
- To be entitled to sickness benefits, you must have started your position at UiO; in other words, you must have physically been present at your place of work.
- You will be paid a regular salary for the period you are on sick leave. NAV will reimburse the University for the sickness benefits paid to you.
- The right to full pay while sick ends when you have received sickness benefits for a total of 248 days during the last 3 years. In this context, a partial sick leave is counted in the same way as full sick leave.
- After having used all your sickness benefits entitlements, you must be at work for 26 weeks to gain new rights.
Follow-up
The new IW agreement emphasises the importance of good cooperation between employers and employees to achieve workplaces that are more inclusive. All involved parties have clearly defined roles in the follow-up work.
Read more about:
- Roles and responsibilities in the follow-up of employees on sick leave
- What follow-up will you receive while on sick leave?
Adaptation of working conditions
Adaptation in the workplace can prevent or reduce the need for sick leave. To arrive at suitable adaptation measures, it is essential that the employer and employee discuss possible solutions.
- Situations in which workplace adaptation may be appropriate
- to prevent sick leave
- as an alternative to sick leave
- to help you to participate in work-related activity while on sick leave
- to ensure that the transition back to work after a sick leave goes well
- Responsibility for adaptation
- The employer must as soon as possible provide the necessary adaptation measures to enable the employee on sick leave to return to work.
- The employer and the employee must maintain an open dialogue about possible solutions.
- The Occupational Health Service, safety representatives, union representatives and workers' organizations can provide advice and guidance.
- The employees cooperation obligation
- It is presumed that the employee cooperates with regard to the adaptation measures and informes about his/her ability to work.
- If the employee "without founded reason" refuses to cooperate with the employer on adaptation measures this can have several consequences. Passivity on behalf of the employee may reduce the scope of the employer's obligation to put in place adaptation measures.
- Examples
The choice of adaptation measures must always be consideres on an individual basis and clarified with the immediate superior in each single instance. Here are a few examples:- Changes in procedures or the division of labour
- Change of working hours
- Training or retraining
- Alteration of issues related to responsibilities and authorities
- Technical aids
- Work stations with adjustable heights
- Adaptation of machines
- Physical adaptation measures and structural changes to the building
- Home office
- Measures related to organisational and psychosocial factors at work
Postdoctoral research fellows and doctoral research fellows
- For postdoctoral research fellows and doctoral research fellows the rights and obligations while on sick-leave apply in the same manner as for members of staff in general.
- The employment period for postdoctoral research fellows and research fellows is extended by a period equivalent to the sick-leave period, cf. Guidelines concerning appointment to post doctoral and research posts at UiO, Point 14.