Entitlement of benefits from the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) is now conferred to workers who contracted COVID-19, an official of the Employees Compensation Commission stated.
Prior, the Labor Department deemed COVID-19 as at present a compensable illness in relation with the Employee Compensation Program, provided that the contraction developed in the workplace or while performing tasks concerning the job.
“’Yung kanilang makukuhang benepisyo ay ‘yung tinatawag na sickness benefits, kung hindi sila nakapasok ng ilang araw mayroon silang daily allowance na ang maximum of Php 450 per day,” Employees’ Compensation Commission Executive Director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said.
[Translation: The benefits they can claim are called sickness benefits, if they cannot report to work for several days, they have a daily allowance of a maximum of Php 450 per day.]
Injuries sustained at home, which is presently viewed as the workplace, in regards to the work-from-home set-up, have become compensable as well. However, Banawis underlined that the agencies could only compensate for eligible injuries which are work-related.
Related: Philhealth to cover expenses of Covid-19 patients.
She continued that, likewise, medical reimbursements are made available for cash-based expenses identified with hospitalization. In addition, beneficiaries of those who died of the virus are entitled to death pension or survivorship pension along with funeral benefits.
The following requirements are to be submitted by members to receive the benefits from the SSS:
• Certificate of employment
• Certificate of RT-PCR result from DOH accredited testing facility
• Medical records—if hospitalized
For application, forms are downloadable online on the websites of the related agencies, Banawis said.
Related: All SSS members who lost their jobs to received 20k pesos.
The process of claiming the benefits is “expedited,” in it should only take at most 20 working days to prepare, she asserted.
After the initial COVID-19 lockdown in March 2020, causing the halt of public transportation and other remaining non-essential businesses, numerous businesses have devised and implemented flexible working arrangements.
