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A Sick Pay Form is an official document Belgian employees use to claim their salary while on medical leave. When you're ill and can't work, this form helps you receive guaranteed pay from your employer for the first month of illness, as required by Belgian social security law.

Your doctor fills out the medical portion of the form, confirming your inability to work and the expected duration. You then submit it to your employer within 24 hours of becoming ill. The form also serves as essential documentation when claiming extended sickness benefits from your mutuelle/ziekenfonds after the employer-paid period ends.

Use a Sick Pay Form immediately when illness prevents you from working in Belgium. The form becomes essential from your first day of absence, as Belgian law requires you to notify your employer within 24 hours of falling ill. This starts the process for receiving your guaranteed salary during medical leave.

Submit the form to your employer when your doctor confirms you need time off work for health reasons, such as severe flu, injury, or other medical conditions requiring recovery. Having this documentation ready becomes particularly important if your illness extends beyond one month, as you'll need it to transition from employer-paid leave to mutuelle/ziekenfonds benefits.

• Initial Medical Certificate: Used during the first 24 hours of illness, this basic version includes your doctor's diagnosis and expected recovery time.
• Extended Illness Form: A detailed version required when sick leave extends beyond one month, including additional medical documentation for mutuelle/ziekenfonds claims.
• Self-Employed Sick Pay Form: A specialized variant for independent contractors in Belgium, with different documentation requirements for social security benefits.
• Partial Work Resumption Form: Used when gradually returning to work, documenting reduced hours or modified duties during recovery.

• Employees: Must obtain and submit the Sick Pay Form within 24 hours of falling ill to claim their salary during medical leave.
• Medical Practitioners: Complete the medical portion, confirming diagnosis, expected recovery time, and inability to work.
• Employers: Process the forms, arrange sick pay coverage, and maintain records for social security compliance.
• HR Departments: Manage the administrative process, verify documentation, and coordinate with payroll.
• Health Insurance Providers (Mutuelles/Ziekenfonds): Process extended illness claims and provide benefits after the employer-paid period.

• Personal Details: Gather your full name, national registry number, and current contact information.
• Employment Information: Include your employer's details, your role, and work schedule.
• Medical Documentation: Visit your doctor to obtain a detailed diagnosis and expected recovery timeline.
• Timeline Details: Note the exact date your illness began and when you first notified your employer.
• Insurance Information: Have your mutuelle/ziekenfonds membership details ready for extended leave cases.
• Submission Plan: Prepare to deliver the form within 24 hours, keeping a copy for your records.

• Employee Section: Full name, national registry number, address, and employer details as required by Belgian social security law.
• Medical Certification: Doctor's official diagnosis, start date of incapacity, and expected duration of illness.
• Work Impact Statement: Clear description of why the medical condition prevents normal job duties.
• Duration Details: Specific start and expected end dates of the sick leave period.
• Privacy Notice: GDPR-compliant statement about handling sensitive medical data.
• Authentication: Dated signatures from both the treating physician and employee.

The Sick Pay Form often gets confused with the Return to Work Form, but they serve distinct purposes in Belgium's employment law framework. While both deal with medical leave situations, they're used at different stages and require different information.

• Timing of Use: Sick Pay Forms are submitted at the start of illness to initiate paid leave, while Return to Work Forms are used when planning the employee's workplace reintegration.
• Medical Information Required: Sick Pay Forms need detailed current diagnosis and expected recovery time, whereas Return to Work Forms focus on workplace accommodations and gradual resumption plans.
• Processing Path: Sick Pay Forms go through payroll and health insurance providers for benefit payments, while Return to Work Forms involve occupational health services and HR for workplace adjustments.
• Legal Purpose: Sick Pay Forms establish the right to receive salary continuation, while Return to Work Forms document the employer's compliance with reintegration obligations.