Sick leave

Sick leave in Argentina entitles employees to paid time off when they are unable to work due to illness or medical conditions. The entitlement is governed by the Argentine Labor Contract Law (Ley de Contrato de Trabajo), which mandates that employers must provide paid sick leave while maintaining the employee's regular salary during the absence period.

Under Argentine employment law, employees are entitled to paid sick leave for medically certified illnesses. The specific duration and conditions depend on the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the sector and the individual employment contract. Generally, employers must accept medical certificates issued by authorized healthcare providers as justification for sick leave. The law requires that employees notify their employer of their illness as soon as practicable, typically within the first hours of the absence.

The governing framework is established in the Argentine Labor Contract Law (Ley 20.744), which sets minimum standards for employee protections. Collective bargaining agreements often provide more generous sick leave provisions than the statutory minimum, and these sectoral agreements take precedence when they offer better conditions to workers.

Employers must continue paying the employee's regular wages during approved sick leave periods covered by medical certification. Failure to provide paid sick leave or retaliating against employees for taking medically justified absences violates Argentine labor law and can result in significant penalties.

Payroll teams must maintain documentation of medical certificates, track sick leave usage separately from vacation days, and ensure that salary payments continue uninterrupted during certified illness absences. Verification of medical documentation and compliance with notification procedures are essential to proper sick leave administration in Argentina.