Tomas: Fake Sick-leave Crackdown Has Saved Up to €150 million

Bratislava, 30 December (TASR) – Changes allowing medical assessors to cancel fraudulent sick leave (PN) certificates have saved the state between €100 million and €150 million in the first year, Labour, Social Affairs and Family Minister Erik Tomas (Voice-SD) declared at a press conference on Tuesday. According to the minister, the final figures will be even higher and will include additional secondary effects, such as savings on levies. "It's turned out that we have a huge number of fake PNs. These figures are indisputable," he said. Tomas pointed to differences in the average length of PNs when compared with the Czech Republic, where the figure is about 30 days. In Slovakia it reached 44 days. The minister emphasised that the aim of the measures was not only to shorten the average PN duration to 42-43 days, but above all to significantly reduce their number. "The monthly number of PNs has dropped markedly because medical assessors at [social-insurer] Slovenska poistovna are cancelling fake PNs," he said. He also warned of significant regional differences. "In Roznava district, the average PN lasts 28 days, while in Kezmarok district it's more than 60 days," he said. Tomas stated that these differences point to long-term abuse of PNs in some areas. "It only shows that for years speculation with PNs was taking place and that money went to people it should not have gone to," he added. mf/df