Sick pay calculator — Portugal 2026

How sick pay works in Portugal

In Portugal, sick pay is paid by Social Security (Segurança Social), not by your employer. It starts from the 4th day of sick leave. The first 3 days are an unpaid waiting period, unless you qualify for an exception.

Your employer is not legally required to top up your sick pay — though some do it voluntarily or through collective bargaining agreements. Check your employment contract or ask HR.

Sick pay rates

What is the reference salary?

Social Security calculates your daily reference rate as the average of your declared earnings over the last 6 months before the sick leave started, divided by 30. This calculator uses your current monthly salary divided by 30 as an approximation. If your salary has been stable, the result is the same.

Exceptions: paid from day 1

The 3-day waiting period does not apply in these cases — Social Security pays from day 1:

• Hospital admission (even for a single overnight stay)
• Tuberculosis
• Cancer (oncological disease)
• Outpatient surgery (cirurgia em regime de ambulatório)
• Occupational disease (paid via workplace accident insurance)

How to go on sick leave in Portugal

You need a sick note called a CIT (Certificado de Incapacidade Temporária). Your doctor issues it electronically — it goes directly to Social Security and your employer. You do not need to hand in a paper form. You must notify your employer on the first day of absence (a message or email is enough).

Social Security then pays you directly by bank transfer, usually around the middle of the following month.

Can your employer fire you while you are on sick leave?

In most cases, no. The Labour Code prohibits dismissal while a worker is on certified sick leave. There are narrow exceptions (company closure, redundancy with legal procedure), but standard individual dismissal is blocked during sick leave.