Can you travel abroad while on sick leave? Latvia's labour inspectorate explains

A man identified only as Andris turned to LA.LV for clarity after his employer reacted angrily upon learning he had traveled abroad while on sick leave. Andris had been issued a sick note due to health problems, but he also had a trip abroad planned in advance, which he chose not to cancel.

When his employer found out about the trip, he was reportedly furious, claiming that traveling abroad during sick leave was not allowed. This left Andris uncertain whether his actions had actually violated any rules.

What the law says

To clarify the matter, the question was put to Latvia's State Labour Inspectorate. Laura Akmentiņa, leading legal counsel at the inspectorate's Client Support Department, explained that sick leave constitutes a justified period of absence during which an employee does not report to work due to incapacity for work, confirmed by a sick note issued under the Cabinet of Ministers' regulations of June 25, 2024, on the issuance and cancellation of sick notes.

She emphasized that during sick leave, an employee has no obligation to be available to the employer or to follow the employer's instructions. The only requirement is that the employee's conduct must align with the treatment regime prescribed by their doctor — and determining that regime falls outside the employer's authority.

This means an employer's ability to control or restrict an employee's movements during sick leave is limited, as long as the employee's actions do not conflict with the doctor's prescribed treatment plan.