Domestic Worker’s Sick Leave: Who Pays for Temporary Disability?
We clarify which days the employing family pays and which days Social Security covers when your domestic worker is on sick leave.
Domestic Worker 2026
Who pays for a domestic worker’s sick leave?
When your domestic worker falls ill and the doctor grants sick leave, most employing families don’t know whether they should continue paying the salary, if Social Security takes over, or what paperwork needs to be submitted. In the Special System for Domestic Workers, the employing family does not advance the salary during temporary disability: the first three days do not include a subsidy, unless a voluntary improvement has been agreed upon, and from the fourth day, Social Security pays the subsidy directly to the worker. Even so, the family must continue to pay social security contributions for the employee while the leave lasts, communicate the process through the Cret@ system within three days of receiving the medical report, and keep the sick leave, confirmation, and discharge reports.
How we do it
We manage your domestic worker’s sick leave from start to finish
When your domestic worker gives you the medical report, you just have to send it to us: we communicate the temporary disability to Social Security within the deadline, monitor weekly confirmation reports, and process the discharge report when the worker returns. We also recalculate the monthly payroll to correctly reflect days worked and days on leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for the first days of a domestic worker's sick leave?
The first three days do not include a subsidy, unless a voluntary improvement has been agreed upon. The employing family is not obliged to advance the salary for those days. From the fourth day, Social Security pays the subsidy directly to the worker.
Do I have to keep paying the salary while my domestic worker is on sick leave?
No. During temporary disability, the ordinary salary is replaced by the Social Security subsidy from the fourth day. The family must continue to pay social security contributions for the worker while the leave lasts.
What procedures should I follow when I receive the sick leave report?
You must communicate the temporary disability process to Social Security through Cret@ within three days of receiving the medical report, and keep the confirmation and discharge reports that the employee provides to you.
What happens if the leave is due to a work accident instead of a common illness?
Coverage and the subsidy improve, provided that the employing family has contracted the mandatory accident insurance for the domestic worker. We review this coverage and help you with the necessary additional documentation.
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