When you live in a foreign country, some days feel easy and bright — your work flows, your child is happy at school, and everything just works.
And then comes the day when your little one wakes up with a fever, flushed cheeks, and watery eyes. You know you can’t send them to school, but taking time off work feels complicated. What will your employer say? Will you lose income?
If you live in Czechia, here’s some good news: you don’t have to choose between being a caring parent and keeping your job. The Czech social system has something called OČR – ošetřovné, or caregiver’s allowance. It’s a benefit that helps employees (and sometimes freelancers) take care of their loved ones without losing all of their income.
When You Can Use It
OČR is designed for short-term situations — most often when your child under the age of 10 gets sick and needs care at home.
But it’s not limited to small children. You can also claim it if you’re taking care of an older child or another family member — for example, your spouse or parent — whose health temporarily requires personal care.
It even applies if your child isn’t sick but can’t attend school because the school is closed due to a breakdown, epidemic, or quarantine. Basically, whenever the person who usually takes care of the child can’t do it, OČR steps in to protect your income.
How It Works
The idea behind OČR is simple: if you can’t work because you’re caring for someone in your household, the state compensates part of your lost salary.
The allowance is 60% of your average daily wage, calculated from your last 12 months of income. You’ll keep receiving it for up to 9 days, or 16 days if you’re a single parent.
It’s meant as a short-term support — long enough to get your child through the flu or recover from minor surgery, but not for long-term care. (There’s a different benefit for that called dlouhodobé ošetřovné, lasting up to 90 days.)
The payment doesn’t come from your employer but from the Czech Social Security Administration (ČSSZ) — the same institution that manages your sick leave and maternity benefits.
How to Apply
It all starts at the doctor’s office.
When your child or family member gets sick, the doctor issues a form called “Rozhodnutí o potřebě ošetřování (péče)” — literally, a “decision on the need for care.”
You take this form to your employer, who sends it to the ČSSZ. After processing, the benefit is transferred directly to your bank account. You don’t have to deal with the office yourself — your employer handles it.
If your child’s school is closed and that’s why you can’t work, the school provides a special form confirming the closure. The process is the same — you hand the document to your employer.
When your doctor decides your child is well again, they issue another form confirming the end of care. You pass that to your employer, too, to close the claim.
What If You’re Self-Employed?
Freelancers (OSVČ) often assume they’re excluded from such benefits — but that’s not entirely true.
You can also receive OČR if you pay voluntary sickness insurance (dobrovolné nemocenské pojištění) and have been contributing to it for at least three months.
If you haven’t signed up for this optional insurance, unfortunately, you won’t be eligible for OČR. But you can easily register for it at your local Social Security Office (OSSZ) for the future — it can come in handy more often than you think.
How Much Can You Expect?
Let’s say your average monthly gross income is 40,000 CZK.
Your daily base is roughly 1,333 CZK. The ČSSZ reduces this base according to the law (so the higher your income, the smaller portion is counted). After the reduction, you’ll get 60% of that amount per day — roughly 700–800 CZK daily in this case.
It’s not your full salary, but it helps bridge those few days when you stay home, ensuring you don’t lose too much of your income while taking care of your child.
What If You’re Sharing Care?
Sometimes parents take turns. Maybe you stay home for the first few days, and your partner takes over after that.
The Czech system allows this switch — you just need to fill in a short form at the doctor’s office confirming the change of caregiver.
The new caregiver (your partner, for example) continues receiving the benefit for the remaining days, up to the total 9 or 16-day limit.
Why OČR Matters
OČR is one of six benefits in the Czech sickness insurance system. It may seem bureaucratic, but in reality, it’s a very human measure.
It ensures that when life surprises you with illness — yours or your child’s — you don’t have to choose between family and finances.
It reflects how seriously the Czech Republic takes social security. Even if you’re not a citizen, as long as you’re part of the system through employment or voluntary insurance, you’re protected.
For many expat parents, Czech benefits like OČR are a pleasant surprise. They show that the system values family life and understands that sometimes, your loved ones need you more than your office does.
So next time your child wakes up with a fever, don’t panic. Call your employer, visit the doctor, and know that you’ll be supported.
Your income may dip a little, but you won’t fall.
Need help understanding your eligibility or how to apply? Book a free consultation at lifeinczechia.com — our relocation experts will guide you through the process so you can focus on what matters most: caring for your family.
Source: Cssz.cz
Photo: Canva
