How long is sick leave in the Philippines?

Philippine law does not legislate for sick leave specifically. However, employees who have contributed to the social security system for at least 3 months in the previous 12 months are entitled to payment from the social security system for up to 120 days per calendar year.

What are the eligibility rules for sick leave in the Philippines?

While there is no statutory sick leave in the Philippines, an employee is eligible for sickness benefits under certain conditions. These conditions include:

• The employee must have exhausted the sick leave provided under their employment agreement.
• The supported employee must be unable to work due to sickness or injury and must be confined either in a hospital or at home for at least 4 days.
• The employee must have paid at least 3 months of contributions to the Social Security System (SSS) within the 12-month period immediately preceding the semester of sickness or injury.
• The supported employee must have duly notified the SSS of the sickness or injury.

How is sick leave payment calculated in the Philippines?

In the Philippines, sick leave payment for a supported employee is calculated based on their daily sickness benefit allowance. This allowance is equivalent to 90% of their average daily salary credit (ADSC). The calculation process is as follows:

• Identify the semester of contingency, which consists of 2 consecutive quarters ending with the quarter in which the sickness occurs. Each quarter contains 3 months ending in March, June, September, or December.
• Count 12 months backward starting from the month immediately before the identified semester of contingency.
• Select the 6 highest monthly salary credits from within these 12 months to determine the total monthly salary credit. The monthly salary credit (MSC) refers to the base compensation for contributions and benefits related to total earnings for the month. For more details, refer to the SSS Contribution Table (SSS Contribution Table link: https://www.sss.gov.ph/sickness-benefit/).
• Divide the total monthly salary credit by 180 days to ascertain the ADSC.
• Calculate the daily sickness allowance by multiplying the ADSC by 0.90.
• Determine the total benefit due by multiplying the daily sickness allowance by the approved number of sick leave days.

What is the process for applying for sick leave in the Philippines?

To apply for Social Security System (SSS) sickness benefits in the Philippines, the supported employee should follow these steps:

1. Notify the employer: The supported employee must inform the employer about their illness so the employer can notify the SSS.

2. Secure medical documentation: The supported employee must visit a licensed physician and obtain a medical certificate or a Statement of Sickness (SSS Form CLD-9A). This document must include details about the illness, the recommended duration of leave, and the physician's contact information.

3. Accomplish necessary forms: The supported employee must fill out the SSS Form CLD-9A (Sickness Benefit Application), available on the official SSS website.

4. Submit application and supporting documents: The supported employee must submit the completed SSS Form CLD-9A along with the medical certificate or Statement of Sickness to their HR department. The HR department will review and endorse these documents to the SSS.

5. SSS processing: The employer will forward the documents to the SSS, which will evaluate the application and determine the eligibility for sickness benefits.