Poland's ZUS Introduces New Rules for Sickness Benefit Applications

Poland's Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) has introduced simplified procedures for sickness benefit applications, effective July 1. These changes aim to streamline the process for both insured individuals and employers who pay social security contributions.

The new rules differentiate the application and benefit determination process based on the number of employees a contributor insures. For payers insuring more than 20 individuals, they are responsible for determining the right to and amount of sickness benefits. Conversely, for those insuring 20 or fewer individuals, ZUS handles the benefit determination and payout.

Individuals can submit applications either in paper form with a handwritten signature or electronically. Electronic submissions can be made through employer systems, email, or as scanned documents. If ZUS is the payer, applications can be submitted electronically via the PUE/eZUS platform or through the electronic delivery address, requiring a qualified electronic signature, trusted profile, personal signature, or a ZUS-provided signature.

ZUS emphasizes that electronic documents are legally equivalent to paper ones. If additional documents are required, they can be submitted as originals, certified copies, or electronic copies. Payers who receive necessary documents for benefit processing must forward them to ZUS within seven days of receipt.