Spain proposes mandatory masks and self-certified sick leave

Masks in clinics and self-certified sick leave: who pays the bill?

Can you declare yourself ill without visiting a doctor? The Health Minister wants to reinstate mandatory mask use inside healthcare facilities and is simultaneously considering allowing citizens to self-certify up to three days of sick leave for minor illnesses. These two measures are seen as moving in opposite directions. Both come with fine print.

For now, the proposal remains an announcement: mandatory masks must be approved by regional governments, and self-certification is under study. Other details—who gets paid for those days, who loses out, and who might use them for skiing—remain officially unanswered.

The first three days of sick leave are unpaid

Here lies the catch that deflates expectations. Several participants note that the general social security system does not pay for the first three days of sick leave. Therefore, self-certification would cover exactly the period workers currently bear financially. Three days of flu means three days without pay and zero benefits.

This varies by collective agreement. Some companies top up salaries to 100% from day one, while others reduce pay to 75% once leave begins. According to those checking their own payslips, the most common scenario is receiving nothing for these three days. Thus, the measure might ease clinic congestion but won't help the user's wallet.

There is also uncertainty about whether these days count towards objective dismissal thresholds for absenteeism. Rumors suggest they wouldn't, but the legal limbo of self-declared leave—without medical sign-off or inspection validation—is what worries many.

Why did the Valencian precedent limit it to four days per year?

According to one participant, Spain has prior experience, and it wasn't positive. In the Valencian Government, two days of absence for illness didn't require formal leave: a medical certificate sufficed, and later, not even that. The system expanded until calculations led to its closure: four days annually, maximum, taken in two-day blocks.

In public service, according to another forum user, four days of unjustified illness absence were recognized annually—the so-called "flu days"—to compensate for previous cuts: the removal of a bonus payment and suspension of seniority-based time off. Hence, some antiestéticar that uncapped self-certification could become a trickle of unwellness spread across the calendar.

Germany has used this system for over a decade

According to a participant living there, it works abroad. In Germany, the mechanism for three days without medical certification has been active for over ten years and hasn't caused mass absences: those with flu stay home, while seriously ill people eventually visit doctors because conditions last longer than three days.

The argument presented is simple yet uncomfortable: the issue isn't design, but abuse. There, incentives work because most don't take shortcuts; here, doubts remain about whether a culture of evasion can withstand the test.

MUFACE, civil servants, and double standards

Comparative grievances are evident. As explained by one participant, civil servants covered by MUFACE have historically maintained 100% salary throughout sick leave, with three months covered before direct payment and significant reductions. The private sector compares this figure to their three unpaid days.

Political controversy surrounds the minister: press reports indicate Mónica García had to repay €13,000 for claiming exclusive dedication allowances while on sick leave. Meanwhile, she posts on social media about running uphill wearing a mask. At best, the narrative has uneven chapters.

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If self-certification helps clear clinics, credit goes to those avoiding doctors. If your agreement tops up to 100%, a flu day becomes a free ski alucinación. Others know better: check your payslip.