The Russian Ministry of Health proposes limiting sick leave for those who are frequently ill
Russia is discussing changes to the rules for issuing sick leave. The Russian Ministry of Health is pushing an initiative to tighten controls and potentially reduce the number of sick leave certificates issued to citizens who, in the ministry’s view, use them too frequently.
This is being reported by Russian state-controlled media.
According to the new draft of the ministry’s order, employees who have already taken sick leave four or more times in six months will be issued a sick leave certificate for only three days. During this time, a medical commission must convene to determine the causes of frequent illnesses through additional examinations, according to the document cited by RIA Novosti. Based on the results, doctors will decide whether to refer the patient for inpatient treatment or extend the three-day sick leave.
According to the draft, exceptions will be made for sick leave in cases of pregnancy, caring for a sick family member, as well as socially significant illnesses and conditions requiring renal replacement therapy, quarantine, and inpatient medical care. A previous version of the document, from February of this year, provided for a five-day sick leave period rather than a three-day one for those who are frequently ill. This measure was explained by the need to “identify the causes of prolonged incapacity for work and take the necessary measures.”
According to Andriy Kondrakhin, a physician and candidate of medical sciences, doctors usually trust the patient and almost always extend sick leave in cases of complaints of prolonged illness. If the Ministry of Health’s initiative is adopted, the number of people who “take days off by using sick leave” will decrease, he noted, adding that this will also help more effectively identify the causes of protracted illnesses.
Previously, amid an acute shortage of personnel, the authorities had proposed the idea of bringing even seriously ill employees back to work. In February, a group of deputies led by Yaroslav Nilov, chairman of the Duma Committee on Labor, introduced a bill to introduce a new concept into the Labor Code—“temporary adaptive work regime.”
According to the document, starting January 1, 2027, employees with temporary health issues will be allowed to continue working under a modified schedule (remotely or with an adjusted work schedule) while maintaining their average income. It is expected that this will require the employee’s consent and a medical opinion. The new regime, as envisioned by the authors, will allow employees to maintain their income, while enabling employers to reduce losses due to the absence of key specialists.
As a reminder, the number of unprofitable banks in Russia has risen to 60, accounting for nearly 20% of the market as of May 7, 2026. Analysts attribute the deterioration in performance to prolonged tight monetary policy and a high key rate, which is putting pressure on the financial sector.
The financial performance of Russian companies in 2026 shows a significant deterioration. In January–February, the aggregate net profit of businesses amounted to 3.4 trillion rubles, which is 33.1% less than in the same period last year.
In addition, Russia has begun selling gold from its reserves due to falling oil and gas revenues. Over 21 tons have already been sold in the first quarter of 2026. This is a sign that the country’s budget is facing serious problems. Russia has begun selling gold from its reserves due to falling oil and gas revenues. Over 21 tons have already been sold in the first quarter of 2026. This is a sign that the country’s budget is facing serious problems.
