New Rules for Medical Leave Certificates: What Every Employer Should Know
As of October 12, 2025, Executive Decree No. 17 of August 11, 2025, entered into force, establishing clear regulations for the issuance and verification of medical leave certificates. The purpose of this decree is to ensure that every period of medical leave is properly documented and verifiable, thereby discouraging employees from submitting false or irregular certificates.
Furthermore, the decree seeks to prevent healthcare professionals from issuing improper documentation by introducing administrative sanctions for noncompliance. It also classifies as an administrative offense the charging or payment of fees for the issuance of certificates without an adequate medical evaluation, a practice that has been observed in certain cases.
Medical leave certificates must be issued exclusively by duly licensed physicians or dentists, bear a consecutive numbering, include the registration number of the Technical Health Council, and be filed in the patient’s medical record, detailing the consultation and the medical condition justifying the leave.
To initiate the verification process, the Regional Health Directorate requires the employer to submit a formal request along with the original certificate or a notarized copy. Although such verification procedures already existed, the new decree broadens their scope to include both public and private healthcare facilities, thereby enhancing the speed and reliability of each verification.
This procedure enables employers to act more efficiently when addressing suspected irregularities, as the Regional Health Directorate may directly confirm the authenticity of a certificate with the issuing professional or medical institution. This measure helps protect the daily operations of companies and ensures that all submitted documents are valid and lawful.
The regulation also has a clear deterrent effect: employees will be discouraged from presenting false or irregular certificates due to the increased risk of consequences. Likewise, physicians and dentists will exercise greater caution when issuing medical leave certificates to avoid sanctions or any harm to their professional reputation.
