The conditions and procedure for paying sick wages and medical expenses to a seafarer in the event of illness or injury on board a ship are governed by his EmploymentContract and Collective Agreement. After a seafarer has been discharged from the ship as a result of injury/illness and repatriated for further treatment to his home country the shipowner is obliged to pay sick wages in the amount of the basic wage rate. It should be noted that the basis for receiving sick wagesand reimbursement of expenses incurred for medical treatment is signing off from the ship due to deterioration in health and the inability to perform labor duties. Please note that the payment of sickness benefit is carried out on the basis of the opinion of the attending physicianand the reimbursement of medical expenses is based on payment documents confirming the costs of treatment (checks). The terms of the Employment Contract and the Collective Agreement may provide for a specific period during which the shipowner pays the seafarer sick wages and compensates for medical expenses, some contracts may establish the obligation of the shipowner to pay these payments until the seafarer is fully restored to health or becomes disabled. If, as a result of illness, a seafarer has permanently lost the ability to work / received a disability, he has the right to demand payment of compensation in connection with the permanent disability.