The Employees State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has come out with ‘ESIC COVID-19 relief scheme’ to provide relief to the families of employees, covered under ESIC, who died of COVID-19.
As per the scheme, the family members of the employee will be eligible for family pension equivalent up to 90% of the average wage of the deceased employee, subject to a minimum of ₹1,800 per month. The family pension which is normally payable only in case of death due to employment injury has now been relaxed to include death due to COVID-19.
The scheme shall be effective for a period of two years with effect from March 24, 2020. The employees who have been registered under the ESI scheme at least three months prior to the date of diagnosis of the COVID-19 and contribution in respect of whom have been paid or payable for at least 70 days during the period of maximum one year immediately preceding diagnosis of the COVID-19 disease are eligible.
“For employees who are availing maternity benefit, extended sickness benefit or temporary disablement benefit and who will fall short of required 70 days contribution due to they being in receipt of maternity benefit, temporary disabled benefit or extended sickness benefit, the number of days they were on maternity benefit, temporary disabled benefit or extended sickness benefit during the period of one year prior to the diagnosis of COVID-19 will be counted to arrive at their eligibility for relief under the scheme,” S. Sivaramakrishnan, Director in-charge, ESIC, Mangaluru said in a release on Friday.
Besides, the spouse of the deceased employee shall be eligible for medical treatment in ESI Hospital/dispensaries on payment of ₹120 per annum. The claim for the pension benefit could be submitted in branch office of ESIC along with the COVID-19 positive report, death certificate of the deceased employee and the identify, and age proof of the dependent family members, he said.
