How to request Covid-19 sick leave from work in each of Spain's regions
With Covid infections higher than ever in Spain, hundreds of thousands of workers are having to self-isolate and get their sick leave (la baja) approved by the overburdened health system. The process varies considerably between regions, here’s what you need to know.
With more than 3 percent of Spain’s population infected with Covid-19 in the past two weeks, the Omicron variant is putting increasing pressure on the country’s economy and healthcare system, as businesses struggle with worker shortages and health centres deal with the surge of infections and enquiries.
People in Spain who test positive via an antigen test have to self isolate for seven days, which in most cases involves taking time off work to recover even if work can be done online.
This involves getting la baja approved, sick leave officially certified by a doctor, which inevitably has meant health centres are on overload due to the burden of calls, admissions and paperwork.
As a result, Spain’s 17 regional governments have again decided to set up their own individual strategy or modus operandi to better handle this sixth wave and to lessen the load for their health workers wherever possible.
If you’ve tested positive for Covid-19 via an antigen test or have coronavirus symptoms, here is how you should officially request your employee sick leave from your health centre in your part of Spain.
Andalusia
Andalusia residents can inform their public health system that they’ve tested positive for Covid-19 from an antigen test purchased in pharmacies or if they have symptoms compatible with Covid-19.
Once the case is studied and a PCR test is potentially requested, people in the region can request their Covid sick leave - la baja - through the Salud Responde app and later check the status on the ClicSalud + website.
Aragón
Aragonese authorities have set up a phone line (876 503 741) and an online questionnaire for people who have tested positive via antigen test to register their infection.
In both cases, you will be asked about symptoms, your vaccination status and if you require sick leave.
This information is all automatically sent to patients’ GPs.
Asturias
Asturian health authorities only consider positive antigen tests carried out in pharmacies or health centres to be valid to get sick leave due to Covid-19. Personnel from Asturias’s SESPA health system will call you to handle your sick leave.
Balearic Islands
Requesting sick leave due to Covid-19 is currently done over the phone in the Balearics, although local authorities are looking to set up an online system soon.
Basque Country
To book time off work due to Covid-19, there are two online processes to complete in the Basque Country: informing health authorities of your positive antigen result and getting sick leave approval.
Canary Islands
If you test positive for Covid-19 or you suspect you have it and need to book off time from work you should call 900112061, and Canary health services will guide you through the entire process of quarantine, tests and sick leave.
Cantabria
If you inform Cantabrian health authorities that you’ve tested positive via antigen test, they will classify you as a suspected case and require you to undergo a PCR test to confirm this result before you can request sick leave. They will either call or text to confirm your appointment and diagnosis.
Castilla-La Mancha
If you live and work in Castilla-La Mancha and you test positive via antigen test you should contact your health centre by calling call or through the regional health services’s app or website to confirm with another test.
If the positive result is confirmed, primary care workers will manage your sick leave online.
Castilla y León
If you have Covid symptoms or test positive via antigen test you should call your health centre and select option 0, reserved for Covid information, or contact 112 if it is an emergency due to the onset of serious symptoms.
They will guide and inform you of the process to follow if more tests or sick leave are necessary.
Catalonia
People in Catalonia who test positive via antigen test can request their sick leave on the regional health website here.
Once they’ve provided personal and test details, they will automatically be given seven days off from work to be spent in home isolation, and once a week has passed their sick leave will automatically end unless they have persisting symptoms.
Extremadura
Suspected or confirmed cases in the western region must call their local centre. Sick leave will be approved if a health professional validates the positive test result.
Galicia
If you have Covid symptoms or a positive antigen tes result in Galicia you must call the Covid information number (881 540 045), or fill in the "self-declaration of suspicious case" form or make an appointment for a medical consultation over the phone with your primary care doctor.
You have to self-isolate and health workers will call you twice during this isolation period, first to assess your clinical situation and approve your sick leave, and second to let you know if your quarantine should last 7 or 10 days. Call 061 if you have serious Covid symptoms.
La Rioja
In La Rioja, you can notify the results of the antigen tests through your local pharmacy or an online form they can direct you to.
During the period of isolation, Riojan health services will call you to handle your sick leave. If you need to get in touch with them, call 941 29 83 33.
Madrid
Madrid authorities have set up a phone line (900 102 112) for people to both notify the result of a positive self-test and to request sick leave.
For confirmed cases, ten days of self-isolation are recommended, without visits and only leaving the house for essential reasons.
Murcia
Workers in Murcia who test positive via self-test have to confirm their result at their health centre, for which they must book an appointment.
While the patient is in isolation, Murcian health services will get in touch to assess the diagnosis and handle their sick leave, which is automatically seven days.
Navarre
If you test positive via self-test, you should email your result to [email protected]. If on the other hand you get the antigen test done by a pharmacist at the pharmacy, they will notify health authorities.
Local health services will then send you an SMS with the guidelines to follow and your health centre will call you to follow up and manage your sick leave.
Valencia region
Valencian regional authorities set up an app dedicated to handling positive cases, which you can view here. Residents in the region can make an appointment if they have Covid symptoms or report the positive result of an antigen test.
Your local health centre will call you in the following 24 hours and GPs will process your sick leave.
If you get tested at a public health centre and you get a positive result, they will automatically process your leave with Spain’s Social Security system, which will inform your company.
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With more than 3 percent of Spain’s population infected with Covid-19 in the past two weeks, the Omicron variant is putting increasing pressure on the country’s economy and healthcare system, as businesses struggle with worker shortages and health centres deal with the surge of infections and enquiries.
People in Spain who test positive via an antigen test have to self isolate for seven days, which in most cases involves taking time off work to recover even if work can be done online.
This involves getting la baja approved, sick leave officially certified by a doctor, which inevitably has meant health centres are on overload due to the burden of calls, admissions and paperwork.
As a result, Spain’s 17 regional governments have again decided to set up their own individual strategy or modus operandi to better handle this sixth wave and to lessen the load for their health workers wherever possible.
If you’ve tested positive for Covid-19 via an antigen test or have coronavirus symptoms, here is how you should officially request your employee sick leave from your health centre in your part of Spain.
Andalusia
Andalusia residents can inform their public health system that they’ve tested positive for Covid-19 from an antigen test purchased in pharmacies or if they have symptoms compatible with Covid-19.
Once the case is studied and a PCR test is potentially requested, people in the region can request their Covid sick leave - la baja - through the Salud Responde app and later check the status on the ClicSalud + website.
Aragón
Aragonese authorities have set up a phone line (876 503 741) and an online questionnaire for people who have tested positive via antigen test to register their infection.
In both cases, you will be asked about symptoms, your vaccination status and if you require sick leave.
This information is all automatically sent to patients’ GPs.
Asturias
Asturian health authorities only consider positive antigen tests carried out in pharmacies or health centres to be valid to get sick leave due to Covid-19. Personnel from Asturias’s SESPA health system will call you to handle your sick leave.
Balearic Islands
Requesting sick leave due to Covid-19 is currently done over the phone in the Balearics, although local authorities are looking to set up an online system soon.
Basque Country
To book time off work due to Covid-19, there are two online processes to complete in the Basque Country: informing health authorities of your positive antigen result and getting sick leave approval.
Canary Islands
If you test positive for Covid-19 or you suspect you have it and need to book off time from work you should call 900112061, and Canary health services will guide you through the entire process of quarantine, tests and sick leave.
Cantabria
If you inform Cantabrian health authorities that you’ve tested positive via antigen test, they will classify you as a suspected case and require you to undergo a PCR test to confirm this result before you can request sick leave. They will either call or text to confirm your appointment and diagnosis.
Castilla-La Mancha
If you live and work in Castilla-La Mancha and you test positive via antigen test you should contact your health centre by calling call or through the regional health services’s app or website to confirm with another test.
If the positive result is confirmed, primary care workers will manage your sick leave online.
Castilla y León
If you have Covid symptoms or test positive via antigen test you should call your health centre and select option 0, reserved for Covid information, or contact 112 if it is an emergency due to the onset of serious symptoms.
They will guide and inform you of the process to follow if more tests or sick leave are necessary.
Catalonia
People in Catalonia who test positive via antigen test can request their sick leave on the regional health website here.
Once they’ve provided personal and test details, they will automatically be given seven days off from work to be spent in home isolation, and once a week has passed their sick leave will automatically end unless they have persisting symptoms.
Extremadura
Suspected or confirmed cases in the western region must call their local centre. Sick leave will be approved if a health professional validates the positive test result.
Galicia
If you have Covid symptoms or a positive antigen tes result in Galicia you must call the Covid information number (881 540 045), or fill in the "self-declaration of suspicious case" form or make an appointment for a medical consultation over the phone with your primary care doctor.
You have to self-isolate and health workers will call you twice during this isolation period, first to assess your clinical situation and approve your sick leave, and second to let you know if your quarantine should last 7 or 10 days. Call 061 if you have serious Covid symptoms.
La Rioja
In La Rioja, you can notify the results of the antigen tests through your local pharmacy or an online form they can direct you to.
During the period of isolation, Riojan health services will call you to handle your sick leave. If you need to get in touch with them, call 941 29 83 33.
Madrid
Madrid authorities have set up a phone line (900 102 112) for people to both notify the result of a positive self-test and to request sick leave.
For confirmed cases, ten days of self-isolation are recommended, without visits and only leaving the house for essential reasons.
Murcia
Workers in Murcia who test positive via self-test have to confirm their result at their health centre, for which they must book an appointment.
While the patient is in isolation, Murcian health services will get in touch to assess the diagnosis and handle their sick leave, which is automatically seven days.
Navarre
If you test positive via self-test, you should email your result to [email protected]. If on the other hand you get the antigen test done by a pharmacist at the pharmacy, they will notify health authorities.
Local health services will then send you an SMS with the guidelines to follow and your health centre will call you to follow up and manage your sick leave.
Valencia region
Valencian regional authorities set up an app dedicated to handling positive cases, which you can view here. Residents in the region can make an appointment if they have Covid symptoms or report the positive result of an antigen test.
Your local health centre will call you in the following 24 hours and GPs will process your sick leave.
If you get tested at a public health centre and you get a positive result, they will automatically process your leave with Spain’s Social Security system, which will inform your company.
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