Can I go to a job interview if I’m on sick leave
Temporary sick leave or disability (TD) is the period during which a worker is unable to return to work for medical reasons. Social Security defines it as: “The situation of a worker while they are temporarily unable to work and receiving Social Security healthcare. During this period, they may receive a daily allowance to cover the loss of income for the reasons indicated.
Sick leave can be due to a variety of causes and different types of illnesses and it’s common to be unsure of what you can and can’t do during this period. Therefore, one of the most common questions is whether I can go to a job interview while on sick leave. The answer is yes, it is possible to go to a job interview as long as it’s not incompatible with the illness that caused the leave. We provide more details below .
What the regulations say
In Spain, there are no specific regulations regarding specific cases, as this largely depends on the reason for the sick leave.T he General Social Security Law only refers to the reasons that can lead to the suspension or denial of temporary disability benefits .e., sick leave. These are as follows:
– When the beneficiary has acted fraudulently to obtain or retain a Social Security benefit.
–When the beneficiary is self-employed or employed.
– When, without reasonable cause, the beneficiary refuses or abandons prescribed treatment.
– When the affected person fails to appear for any appointment scheduled by doctors or collaborating mutual insurance companies for examination and medical recognition.
As we can see, although the guidelines are very general, the first point refers to honesty and thoroughness regarding the reason for the temporary disability . This means that, for example, if the leave is due to an injury that prevents work and requires rest for a speedy recovery and return to work, you cannot play sports unless prescribed by a doctor or physical therapist as rehabilitation.
A different case is mental health-related sick leave, where practicing sports or other hobbies and recreational activities may be recommended to achieve improvement and return to work sooner. Therefore, the recommendation regarding what to do while on sick leave is to follow common sense, not act fraudulently toward the company, and be sensible about the employee’s situation
Conclusion
Given the regulations and the lack of a specific rule governing this, it is possible to attend a job interview while on sick leave .owHoweverit is important to assess whether both the travel and the type of interview will be detrimental to the improvement of the employee’s physical or emotional condition. For example, if absolute rest has been recommended and the employee has to make a great physical effort to attend the appointment, it would not be advisable. Another very important aspect to keep in mind is that you can’t work while on sick leave, so it’s not possible to start a new job if you’re accepted at the interview . n tat thate, you’ll have to wait or apply for sick leave to start your new job.
We hope we’ve answered all your questions about whether you can attend a job interview while on sick leave, but if you have any other questions related to your personal , e recommend consulting your doctor or the appropriate Social Security office
