Perinski: Fund inspectors will verify insured people on sick leave at home

The director of the Health Insurance Fund, Zllatko Perinski, said that cases of abuse of sick leave are being identified not only in public institutions, but also in private companies.

At today’s press conference, Perinski announced that payments for sick leave and maternity benefits would be made more regularly. At the same time, he warned that clearer criteria would be introduced for approving sick leave and that checks would be increased, including visits by inspectors to insured people who are at home on sick leave.

“Of the sample examined by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, around 30 percent of the cases were found to involve abuse, and for this reason the Fund imposed fines. Verifications of the sick leave reported by the Ministry of Defense are nearing completion, and we will inform you very soon. However, the problem is not limited to public-sector employees, as we have recently also received reports from the private sector and from employers,” Perinski told “Lokalno”.

According to him, sick leave remains a sensitive issue. He stressed that the aim is not to deny insured people their rights, but to prevent their abusive use.

“For 2026, the Health Insurance Fund has budgeted 6 billion and 454 million denars for sick leave and maternity leave. This is a considerable sum, so we must strengthen the control mechanism,” Perinski said.