Health Leave for Academic Teachers: Age, Seniority, and Employment Conditions

Academic teachers facing health issues can access paid health leave, provided they meet strict age, seniority, and employment requirements confirmed by occupational medicine assessments.

Conditions for Health Leave

Paid health leave is not exclusive to teachers under the Teacher’s Charter, as other professional groups also hold this right. It is granted when a physician determines that an employee must abstain from work to undergo specific treatment, requiring more than just feeling unwell or needing a break.

Academic teachers facing temporary work cessation for recommended treatment can utilize paid health leave under Article 131 of the Law on Higher Education and Science. This leave is strictly for health protection, not for leisure or executing research projects.

Medical Assessment and Duration

An occupational medicine physician must issue a certificate indicating the causes for temporary work cessation, the recommended treatment, and the time required. The total leave duration across employment cannot exceed three years, with subsequent leaves requiring a three-year gap.

The rector issues a referral for a medical examination based on the academic teacher’s application. Examinations must occur within 30 days of receiving the referral, and the costs are covered by the university up to once every three years.

Seniority and Age Limits

Key prerequisites include at least 10 years of employment at the university and full-time status. Employment periods across different institutions can generally be summed up if they meet full-time requirements, though cases involving multiple part-time positions require HR consultation.

Reaching the age of 65 strictly excludes an academic teacher from obtaining the right to health leave under Article 131, regardless of their seniority, full-time status, or medical certificate.

Appeals and Employment Status

Both the academic teacher and the university can appeal a medical certificate in writing within 14 days of receipt, with appeals reviewed by a regional occupational medicine center or a relevant research institute.

During health leave, academic teachers are strictly prohibited from engaging in any gainful employment or commercial activities. The employment relationship remains active, counting toward professional seniority while excluding teaching, research, and organizational duties.