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Sick leave, maternity and paternity leave in Cyprus: who pays and for how many weeks

Social insurance pays sickness benefit from day 4 for up to 156 days; by law the employer need not pay the first 3. Maternity leave is 22 weeks, paternity 2, parental leave up to 18.

Working in Cyprus Checked: Changed:

In short

Who it applies to
Employees and self-employed people who pay Cyprus social insurance contributions: those who fall ill, expectant mothers, new fathers and parents of children under 15. Nationality does not matter — contributions do.
What it costs
Applications are free. Benefits are worked out from insured earnings, not from your salary: sickness benefit is 60% of the basic part plus family increases, maternity benefit 72%.
How long it takes
The benefit application is due within 21 days. Paternity leave is notified to the employer in writing 2 weeks ahead, parental leave 3 weeks ahead.
Where to apply
Sickness, maternity, paternity and parental leave benefits are claimed online on gov.cy through CY Login from Social Insurance Services; the doctor issues the sick note.
If your case differs
Illness and pregnancy protect against dismissal: notice cannot be served during sick leave of up to 12 months, and a pregnant employee is protected from written notice to the employer until 5 months after maternity leave.

Your case

If you fall ill

Get a sick note from the doctor and claim sickness benefit online through CY Login. Social insurance pays from day 4 (day 10 for the self-employed) for up to 156 days per spell: 60% of the basic part, plus 20% for a spouse and 10% each for up to two other dependants. The employer pays the first 3 days only if your contract or collective agreement says so. While you are on sick leave of up to 12 months, no dismissal notice may be served, nor for a quarter of that time afterwards.

If you are expecting a baby

Tell your employer about the pregnancy in writing — from then until 5 months after maternity leave you cannot be dismissed. Maternity leave is 22 weeks, 26 from the third birth; 11 weeks are compulsory and start 2 weeks before the expected week of birth. Claim the benefit online after the 25th week of pregnancy, within 21 days of the first day claimed; the basic part is 72% of the insurance unit. Back at work, for 12 months you may work one hour less every day.

If you have become a father

A father gets 2 consecutive weeks — at any point from the week of the birth to two weeks after the mother's maternity leave ends. The employer is told in writing 2 weeks ahead. Social insurance pays a benefit for these weeks; the claim is filed online within 21 days.

If you need time off for an older child

Parental leave is up to 18 weeks per child until the child turns 15; you qualify after 6 months with the same employer and give 3 weeks' notice. It can be taken in parts from one day. Social insurance pays only part of it: 8 weeks for the first child, 10 for the second, 12 for the third and 14 from the fourth, with no more than 5 paid weeks a year; the benefit also needs 12 months of work in the last 24.

Deadlines and conditions

  • no benefit is paid for the first 3 days of illnessArt. 31(1) of Law 59(I)/2010: «κανένας δεν δικαιούται επίδομα για τις πρώτες τρεις (3) ημέρες της περιόδου διακοπής της απασχόλησής του».
  • the self-employed are paid from day 10Art. 31(1)(α) of Law 59(I)/2010: a self-employed person «δεν δικαιούται επίδομα ασθενείας για τις πρώτες εννέα (9) ημέρες», except after an accident or a night in hospital.
  • the benefit is paid for up to 156 days per spell of illnessArt. 31(3) of Law 59(I)/2010: «ο ανώτατος αριθμός ημερών … είναι εκατόν πενήντα έξι (156) ημέρες»; Sundays are not counted.
  • the basic part of the benefit is 60% of the weekly value of the insurance unitFourth Schedule, Part II, Law 59(I)/2010: «60% της εβδομαδιαίας αξίας της ασφαλιστικής μονάδας … πλέον- (α) 20% για εξαρτώμενο/η σύζυγο και 10% για κάθε άλλο εξαρτώμενο μέχρι δύο».
  • a dependent spouse adds 20%The same: «20% για εξαρτώμενο/η σύζυγο».
  • each other dependant adds 10%, for no more than two; with no spouse increase, its 20% goes to one of the children and up to three dependants countThe same: «10% για κάθε άλλο εξαρτώμενο μέχρι δύο»; where no increase is paid for a spouse (other than because the spouse has own income), point (β): it «καταβάλλεται για τον ένα από τους άλλους εξαρτωμένους, ο αριθμός των οποίων δεν μπορεί να υπερβαίνει τους τρεις».
  • the right to benefits starts no earlier than 26 weeks after your insurance beganThird Schedule, para. 1(α), Law 59(I)/2010: «να έχουν παρέλθει τουλάχιστον είκοσι έξι (26) εβδομάδες από την εβδομάδα έναρξης της ασφάλισής του», plus minimum contributions in the last contribution year (para. 1(β)).
  • during sick leave of up to 12 months no dismissal notice may be served — nor for a quarter of that time afterwardsArt. 9(6)(α) of Law 24/1967: notice to an employee absent through incapacity «για περίοδο μέχρι δώδεκα (12) μήνες απαγορεύεται» for the absence plus «το ένα τέταρτο (¼) αυτής».
Show all conditions (25)
  • maternity leave is 22 consecutive weeksArt. 3(2) of Law 100(I)/1997: «άδεια μητρότητας συνολικής διάρκειας είκοσι δύο (22) συναπτών εβδομάδων»; the benefit for the same period — art. 29(4)(α) of Law 59(I)/2010.
  • from the third birth on, 26 weeksArt. 3(2) of Law 100(I)/1997: «σε περίπτωση τρίτου και μεταγενέστερων αυτού τοκετών, η περίοδος άδειας μητρότητας επεκτείνεται στις είκοσι έξι (26) συναπτές εβδομάδες».
  • 11 of these weeks are compulsory and start 2 weeks before the expected week of birthArt. 3(2) of Law 100(I)/1997: «οι έντεκα λαμβάνονται υποχρεωτικά στην περίοδο η οποία αρχίζει δύο εβδομάδες πριν από την εβδομάδα του αναμενόμενου τοκετού».
  • the basic part of maternity benefit is 72% of the insurance unitFourth Schedule of Law 59(I)/2010: «72% της εβδομαδιαίας αξίας της ασφαλιστικής μονάδας», rising to 80, 90 or 100% with one, two or three dependants.
  • the maternity benefit claim can be filed from the 25th week of pregnancyThe gov.cy service «Επίδομα μητρότητας»: «Μπορείτε να υποβάλετε την αίτηση σας όταν συμπληρωθεί η 25η εβδομάδα κύησης»; art. 29(1)(α)(i) of Law 59(I)/2010.
  • she cannot be dismissed until 5 months after maternity leave endsArt. 4(1)(α) of Law 100(I)/1997: an employee who has told her employer of the pregnancy in writing is protected from dismissal «από την αρχή της εγκυμοσύνης της μέχρι και πέντε μήνες μετά το πέρας της άδειας μητρότητας».
  • for 12 months after the birth a mother may work one hour less every dayArt. 5(1) of Law 100(I)/1997 as amended by Law 62(I)/2025: «για χρονικό διάστημα δώδεκα μηνών από τον τοκετό … είτε να διακόπτει την εργασία για μια ώρα είτε να προσέρχεται αργότερα είτε να αποχωρεί νωρίτερα κατά μια ώρα κάθε ημέρα»; before the amendment, nine months.
  • the benefit claim is filed within 21 daysThe gov.cy services «Επίδομα μητρότητας» and «Επίδομα πατρότητας»: «Θα πρέπει να υποβάλετε την αίτηση σας εντός 21 ημερών από την ημέρα που απαιτείτε το επίδομα»; for sickness benefit — ΚΔΠ 288/2010, reg. 3(2)(γ): «για επίδομα μητρότητας, επίδομα ασθενείας και επίδομα σωματικής βλάβης, χρονικό διάστημα που να μην υπερβαίνει τις είκοσι μια (21) ημέρες».
  • paternity leave is 2 consecutive weeksArt. 5(1) of Law 216(I)/2022: «άδεια πατρότητας δύο (2) συνεχόμενων εβδομάδων» — between the week of the birth and two weeks after the mother's maternity leave ends; the benefit — art. 29Α(2) of Law 59(I)/2010.
  • the employer is told in writing 2 weeks aheadArt. 7 of Law 216(I)/2022: the father «προειδοποιεί γραπτώς τον εργοδότη του δύο (2) εβδομάδες πριν από την έναρξη της άδειας πατρότητας».
  • parental leave is up to 18 weeks per childArt. 8(2) of Law 216(I)/2022: «Η μέγιστη διάρκεια της γονικής άδειας είναι δεκαοκτώ (18) εβδομάδες για κάθε τέκνο».
  • it can be taken until the child turns 15Art. 29Β(2) of Law 59(I)/2010: the benefit is paid up to «τη συμπλήρωση του δέκατου πέμπτου (15ου) έτους ηλικίας» of the child.
  • you qualify after 6 months with the same employerArt. 8(1) of Law 216(I)/2022: the right belongs to an employee «ο οποίος έχει συμπληρώσει συνεχή απασχόληση διάρκειας έξι (6) μηνών στον ίδιο εργοδότη».
  • 8 of those weeks are paid for the first childArt. 29Β(2)(β) of Law 59(I)/2010: benefit «οκτώ (8) εβδομάδων για το πρώτο … δέκα (10) … δώδεκα (12) … δεκατεσσάρων (14) εβδομάδων για το τέταρτο και κάθε μεταγενέστερο τέκνο».
  • 10 for the second, 12 for the third and 14 weeks from the fourthThe same: «δεκατεσσάρων (14) εβδομάδων για το τέταρτο και κάθε μεταγενέστερο τέκνο»; 10 for the second, 12 for the third.
  • the employer is told 3 weeks aheadArt. 12(1) of Law 216(I)/2022: the employee «προειδοποιεί τον εργοδότη του τρεις (3) εβδομάδες πριν από την ημερομηνία έναρξης της γονικής άδειας».
  • no more than 5 paid weeks in a calendar yearArt. 29Β(3)(γ) of Law 59(I)/2010: the benefit runs from one day up to «πέντε (5) εβδομάδων ανά ημερολογιακό έτος από την 1η Ιανουαρίου 2025».

Whether your employer pays for sick days

The law does not require it, so the answer lies in your contract, your sector's collective agreement or company rules. Check your written terms of employment or ask HR. In hotels and catering the sector rules make the employer pay for sick days — after six months in the job, except the first three days, minus the social insurance benefit.

Whether your contributions are enough for a benefit

Besides 26 weeks since your insurance began, you need minimum contributions in the last contribution year. If you started working in Cyprus recently, check your contribution record before claiming — on 1450 or through CY Login.

Sources

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