Sick leave rules in Croatia at a glance
Statutory rules for Croatia, checked against official government guidance on 15 October 2026.
| Tell your employer | Inform the employer; tell your chosen doctor within 3 days |
|---|---|
| Self certification | None found |
| Doctor's certificate needed from | Day 1 |
| Certificate deadline | Certificate to the employer within 3 days at the latest |
| Waiting days | None |
| Employer pays | The first 42 days, at least 70% |
| State sickness benefit | HZZO from day 43: 70%, then 80% |
| Maximum duration | 18 months, then 50% |
| Last checked |
Who pays sick pay in Croatia?
In Croatia, employer pay: the first 42 days, at least 70%. State sickness benefit: HZZO from day 43: 70%, then 80%.
- EmployerDays 1 to 42The first 42 days, at least 70%
- State sickness benefitFrom day 43HZZO from day 43: 70%, then 80%
- Official body
- HZZO
Work out your own figures with the sick pay calculator.
When do you need a doctor's note in Croatia?
In Croatia, a doctor's certificate is needed: day 1.
Self certification. None found
Certificate deadline. Certificate to the employer within 3 days at the latest
Telling your employer. Inform the employer; tell your chosen doctor within 3 days
Check your own dates with the "do I need a note" tool, or see how to get a doctor's note in Croatia.
Worked example: 50 days off sick in Croatia
How a 50 day absence runs in Croatia, step by step. No money is worked out here.
| When | What happens | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Tell your employer | Inform the employer; tell your chosen doctor within 3 days |
| Days 1 to 42 | Employer | The first 42 days, at least 70% |
| From day 1 | A doctor's certificate is normally needed | Day 1 |
| Days 43 to 50 | State sickness benefit | HZZO from day 43: 70%, then 80% |
Maximum duration: 18 months, then 50%
For your own figures, use the sick pay calculator. It reads the same checked data as this page.
What is different about sick leave in Croatia?
Give your employer the certificate within 3 days.
After 18 months for the same diagnosis, pay usually drops to 50%.
What if you work in Croatia but live in another country?
If you work in Croatia and live in another country, you are usually covered by the social security system where you work, so the rules on this page apply.
Report sick by the rule in Croatia (inform the employer), and send any certificate to the body that pays you (HZZO).
If your doctor is in another country, ask the paying body (HZZO) which format it accepts.
More on working in one country and living in another. Related tool: Fit to fly readiness checklist
Frequently asked questions
The rule for telling your employer in Croatia: inform the employer; tell your chosen doctor within 3 days.
The certificate deadline in Croatia: certificate to the employer within 3 days at the latest.
Waiting days in Croatia: none.
The maximum duration of sick pay in Croatia: 18 months, then 50%.
Self certification in Croatia: none found.
Sick leave rules in neighbouring countries
Compare Croatia with Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, or see all 42 countries side by side.
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