Sick leave for self-employed individuals and parents on maternity leave: what has changed and how to apply

      On April 17, 2026, at 17:30, the Ministry of Health of Russia made changes to the rules for issuing sick leave certificates, which affect self-employed citizens and parents on parental leave. These changes are aimed at improving social security and supporting those who are temporarily unable to work due to health reasons.

      Tatiana Solomatina, Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on Health Protection, emphasized in an interview with 360.ru that the government aims to make life easier for citizens, especially those who are incapacitated. She noted that now parents on maternity leave can retain their right to benefits if they work for another employer. This allows them to combine childcare with part-time work without losing their insurance coverage.

      Self-employed citizens have also gained the opportunity to issue sick leave certificates. Previously, they did not have this option, but now they can receive payments in case of temporary incapacity for work. To do this, they need to make contributions to the Social Insurance Fund (FSS). Medical lawyer Nikolai Chernyshek explained that self-employed individuals can independently activate the payment option through the "Gosuslugi" portal and make monthly contributions of a certain amount.

      After registering as a voluntary contributions payer and making contributions for six months, self-employed individuals can obtain a sick leave certificate. The amount of contributions depends on the chosen insurance coverage amount: with insurance coverage of 35,000 rubles, the monthly contribution will be 1,344 rubles, and with insurance coverage of 50,000 rubles, it will be 1,920 rubles.

      The amount of the benefit depends on the insurance experience and the period of contributions payment. If contributions were paid for six to 12 months, the benefit will be 70% of the insurance amount for one month of illness. If contributions were paid for more than 12 months, the benefit will be 100% of the insurance amount.

      The action algorithm for self-employed citizens:

      1. Register as a voluntary contributions payer at the FSS office through "My Tax," "Gosuslugi," or customer service.

      2. Make contributions either monthly or in one payment for the year.

      3. After six months of contributions, obtain the right to issue a sick leave certificate.

      Tatiana Solomatina noted that in the future, the process of issuing sick leave certificates will be simplified and made available through the taxpayer's personal account "My Tax." This will allow citizens to receive sick leave certificates without unnecessary paperwork and applications.

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