Medical leave in Balearic Islands: doctors now see your real occupation before signing the report

Key data

Medical leave reports in the Balearic Islands will be managed with more objective information from August 10, 2026. The Resolution of August 20, 2026 from the General Technical Secretariat publishes the agreement by which the General Treasury of Social Security (TGSS) transfers affiliation data to the National Institute of Social Security (INSS), which in turn transmits it to the Servei de Salut de les Illes Balears.

The objective is clear: the physician assessing temporary incapacity should know the worker's real occupation, not just what they declare in the consultation. This improves the accuracy in issuing medical leave reports, confirmation and discharge.

What does this regulation establish?

The agreement establishes a data flow between three public bodies to improve the management of temporary incapacity (IT):

The data transferred is affiliation information: data on the worker's occupation registered with Social Security. With this, the physician can compare what the patient explains about their work with what is officially recorded, allowing for a more accurate assessment of whether the leave is warranted, how to confirm it, and when to issue discharge.

The data transfer is supported by article 77.1 of the General Social Security Law and Law 40/2015 on the Legal Regime of the Public Sector, and must comply with all applicable data protection guarantees.

This is not a new mechanism in Spain: similar agreements already exist with other autonomous communities. Balearic Islands is now joining this model.

Economic and operational impact

For companies with workers in the Balearic Islands, this agreement has practical implications for managing temporary incapacity leave:

• Greater rigor in issuing reports: Physicians will have objective information about the worker's occupation. This can reduce leave issued with incorrect or incomplete data about the job position.
• Impact on IT duration: A more accurate assessment from the start can shorten or better adjust the duration of leave, which directly affects the cost of IT for the company (salary supplements, replacements, productivity).
• Fewer frictions in confirmation and discharge reports: The physician no longer depends solely on the worker's account to confirm whether the leave remains warranted or if discharge is appropriate.
• Data protection compliance: The transfer of data between public bodies is regulated and guaranteed by regulation. Companies have no direct obligations in this regard, but should know that their affiliation data can be consulted in this context.

There are no direct costs for companies resulting from this agreement. The impact is operational: potentially more agile IT management and better aligned with the worker's actual work situation.

Who does it affect?

• Companies with workers in the Balearic Islands that manage temporary incapacity leave.
• Workers on IT leave in the Balearic Islands: their affiliation data will be accessible to the physician managing their leave.
• Physicians at the Servei de Salut de les Illes Balears: will be able to consult the worker's real occupation when assessing, confirming or discharging IT.
• HR managers and labor advisors who process medical leave reports for employees in the Balearic Islands.
• Mutual insurance companies collaborating with Social Security that manage IT in the Balearic region.

Practical example

A worker at a hotel company in Mallorca requests leave for lower back pain. In the consultation, they describe their work as "office work" to minimize the physical demands of their position. Until now, the physician at the Servei de Salut only had that declaration to assess the incapacity.

With the new agreement in force, the physician can consult the worker's affiliation data with Social Security and verify that their registered professional category corresponds to a position with significant physical demands (for example, warehouse worker or room attendant). This objective information allows the physician to assess the leave with greater accuracy: adjust the estimated duration, request additional tests, or issue discharge at the appropriate time.

For the company, this can translate into more adjusted IT management and a reduction in situations where leave is prolonged due to an incomplete initial assessment.

What should companies do now?

1. Verify that the affiliation data of your workers in the Balearic Islands is correct. Physicians will consult the occupation registered with Social Security. If there are discrepancies between the actual position and the registered one, it can generate problems in IT assessment. Review the professional categories registered with the TGSS.
2. Inform your workers in the Balearic Islands of this change. They should know that the physician will have information about their real occupation when assessing leave. This is not a penalty: it is an improvement in clinical accuracy, but it changes the dynamics of the consultation.
3. Coordinate with your labor advisory or mutual insurance company. If you manage IT through a collaborating mutual, ensure they are aware of this agreement and its impact on processing reports in the Balearic Islands.
4. Review your internal IT management processes in the Balearic Islands. A more accurate medical assessment can shorten the duration of some leave. Adjust your replacement and IT cost forecasts accordingly.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-18146