Procedures are being streamlined and outdated bureaucratic burdens removed. The new regulation intends to do just that, with its provisions taking effect on April 1. Workers will no longer be required to hand over temporary sick leave documents or high health reports to their employers. Instead, the system relies on direct electronic communications from SGK, a development that has raised concerns among both employers and unions about reliability and system stability. Partners emphasize the need for robust computer systems to prevent malfunctions and downtime that could disrupt processes.
The regulation, backed by the Ministry of Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, clarifies several aspects of how temporary disability matters should be managed and controlled. It contemplates that only one copy of discharge and medical reports will reach workers, with the second copy no longer being sent to the employer. This change shifts the responsibility for delivering and transmitting reports away from workers themselves and onto the intended administrative pathways.
Starting April 1, the communication between SGK and companies will occur via telematics. The aim is to bypass procedures that many people on temporary disability find frustrating, while simultaneously tapping into the efficiency and productivity gains offered by digital technologies and information systems.
Beyond simplifying bureaucracy, the initiative also seeks to reduce the kind of administrative friction that can burden people who are temporarily disabled.
The new rules also indicate that medical staff may set shorter review intervals than the standard timelines, adjusting when the process progresses more quickly or slowly.
From the ministry’s perspective, these changes are expected to bring notable benefits to companies, workers, and health system professionals alike.
Still, skepticism persists among both employers and unions about how smoothly the changes will be implemented. For example, Salvador Navarro, president of the Valencian Community Business Confederation, warns that the government has moved forward with a unilateral measure that did not fully consult business interests beforehand. He stresses that how information is shared with the parties will depend heavily on the functioning of the public health system. He adds that companies must have timely access to a worker’s sick leave to reorganize operations effectively; delays could erode a company’s capacity to respond appropriately.
Unions share the general intent of the regulation but harbor doubts about operational specifics. Paco García, the general secretary of CC OO for the l’Alacantí-Les Marines area, says the concept is sound, but the real test will be whether the computer systems can handle data integration without causing outages that could harm workers or employers. García also argues that doctors should be relieved of some of the administrative tasks involved in registering and issuing discharge reports, noting that clinicians already devote significant time to patient care. He suggests increasing administrative staff to lessen the burden on health professionals.
Yaissel Sánchez, the secretary-general of UGT in the same region, sees the measure as a positive move that reduces bureaucratic hurdles and leverages available digital tools for workers. He emphasizes the importance of ensuring that all teams adapt quickly so that everything runs smoothly from April 1, when the rule takes effect.