The Ministry of Labour and Employment has announced social security reliefs to the dependents of the workers who passed away due to Covid.
The enhanced social security is sought to be provide without any additional financial burden to the employers.
1. Employees State Insurance Act 1948 (E S I C): –
At present for the insured person under ESIC, after death or disablement of the insured person due to employment injury, a pension equivalent to 90% of the average daily wage drawn by the insured person is available to the spouse and widowed mother for life long and for children till they attain the age of 25 years. For the female child the benefit is available till her marriage.
Amendment –
To support the families of the insured person under the ESIC scheme, all dependent family members of insured person who have been REGISTERED in the online portal of ESIC prior to their diagnosis of COVID disease and subsequent death due to the Covid disease, will be entitled to receive the same benefits and in the same scale as received by the dependents of insured person who die as a result of employment injury subject to following conditions,
– The insured person must have been REGISTERED on the ESIC portal at least THREE MONTHS PRIOR to the diagnosis of Covid disease resulting in death.
– The insured person must have been employed for wages and contributions for at least 78 days should have been paid or payable in respect of deceased insured person during a period of one year immediately preceding the diagnosis of Covid disease resulting in death.
The insured person who fulfills the eligibility conditions and have died due to Covid disease their dependents will be entitled to receive the MONTHLY PENSION equivalent to 90% of the average daily wage of the insured person during their life.
The scheme will be effective for a period of TWO years with effect from 24/03/2020.
2. Employees Provident Fund & Miscellaneous Provisions Act 1948 (EPF): –
Under the Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme, all surviving family members of the deceased employee of this scheme are eligible to minimum benefit of Rs.2.5 lakhs and maximum Rs.6 lakhs provided the deceased employee was in employment for a continuous period of 12 months in same establishment preceding his death.
Amendment –
– The amount of maximum benefit under Employees Deposit Linked Insurance Scheme (EDLI) increase from Rupees Six Lakhs to Rupees Seven Lakhs to the family members of the deceased employee.
– Minimum assurance benefit of Rupees 2.5 Lakhs to the eligible family members of the deceased employee who was a member for a continuous period of 12 months in one or more establishments preceding his death in place of existing provision of continuous employment in the same establishment for 12 months.
It will benefit the contractual / casual workers who were losing out on benefits due to the condition of one year in one establishment.
– Restoration of provision of minimum Rs.2.5 Lakhs compensation retrospectively with effect from 15th February 2020 for THREE years.
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