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📄 Carer's leave — Romania's Law 24/2022 in plain words
You are entitled to paid leave to accompany a loved one through cancer treatment. Who qualifies, how much, and how — explained simply.
What it is, in short
Law 24/2022 gives the person caring for an adult cancer patient the right to paid medical leave of up to 45 calendar days per year, for one patient. During this time you receive an allowance of 85% of your average gross income over the previous 6 months. The money is paid entirely from the national health fund (FNUASS), not by your employer — so the employer has no financial reason to refuse you.
Who qualifies
Any person insured in the health system (employed or with an insurance contract) who, with the patient's consent, accompanies them to surgery and treatments prescribed by the specialist. You do not need to be a relative of a particular degree — the patient is the one who designates you as their carer. The patient must be over 18 (other forms of leave exist for children).
The contribution requirement
To receive the allowance you need a minimum insurance record of 6 months within the last 12 months before the month the leave is granted for. In simple terms: if you worked (or were insured) at least 6 of the last 12 months, you qualify. Your health insurance house (CAS) can confirm your exact situation.
How to get it — the concrete steps
1) Talk to the patient: your designation as carer requires their consent. 2) Talk to the specialist (the oncologist) who has the patient in their care — they issue the carer's medical-leave certificate, tied to the scheduled procedures and treatments. 3) Hand the certificate to your employer, like any medical leave. 4) If anything gets stuck, call the health insurance house (CAS) in your county — ask specifically about "leave for caring for a patient with oncological conditions, Law 24/2022". Naming the law precisely unblocks many conversations.
A little-known bonus: reimbursed psychological counselling
The same law gives you, the carer, the right to one psychological evaluation session per year and at least 5 counselling sessions per year, reimbursed. This is not an indulgence — caring for a loved one with cancer is one of the most psychologically demanding experiences there is. Ask the family doctor or the insurance house how to reach a psychologist contracted with CAS.
Worth knowing before you start
The 45 days are calendar days (weekends within the interval count) and apply per year and per patient. The leave is designed for accompanying the patient to procedures — it is not a general home-care leave. For permanent care situations there are other instruments (disability classification and the personal assistant), covered in our article about support and benefits.
Key points
What to remember from this article
- ✓Up to 45 calendar days per year of paid leave, for one adult cancer patient.
- ✓The allowance is 85% of your average gross income over the last 6 months, paid from the health fund.
- ✓You need an insurance record of at least 6 of the last 12 months.
- ✓The patient designates you with their consent; the certificate is issued by their specialist doctor.
- ✓Law 24/2022 also entitles you to an annual psychological evaluation plus at least 5 counselling sessions per year.
When to ask for help
If your employer refuses the certificate or the insurance house gives you contradictory answers, ask for a written response and contact a patient association (for example the FABC federation) — they have experience with exactly these blockages.
A note on legal information
This article reflects our understanding of the rules in Romania as of the verification date below. Laws and norms can change — always check the official sources or ask the insurance house before making decisions.
Sources verified on: July 17, 2026
Official sources
The documents this article is based on
Where to continue
Other relevant resources in OncoDots
A note from us
The information here is for orientation and does not replace professional medical, legal or financial advice.