Compensation for Covid-19 claims increasing
KwaZulu-Natal is currently sitting at 108 claims, of which 67 have been accepted, while seven have been repudiated and 34 are still awaiting adjudication.
Since the Department of Employment & Labour announced that it has included Covid-19 under The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act, No 130 of 1993 (COIDA), the claims are now rising.
COIDA provides for compensation for disablement caused by occupational injuries or diseases sustained or contracted by employees in the course of their employment, or for death resulting from such injuries or diseases.
The department has received a total of 2361 claims for compensation with regards to being exposed to Covid-19 at work. Of these, 1412 have been lodged directly with the Compensation Fund (CF), while 900 were lodged with Rand Mutual and 49 with Federated Employees.
KwaZulu-Natal is currently sitting at 108 claims, of which 67 have been accepted, while seven have been repudiated and 34 are still awaiting adjudication.
Also read: Employees can be compensated for contracting Covid-19
According to the department, the leading province with the highest number of claims is Western Cape with 1068 claims – liability has been accepted for a total of 590 cases, 115 repudiated and 363 are pending adjudication.
The department said that of all claims received directly by CF, 55% have been accepted, 9.7% have been rejected and 35.1% are pending.
CF commissioner Vuyo Mafata said, “It is important to note that when we say the claim has been repudiated, this could change if we are given more information about the particular claim. This then should not be read as having had the door slammed in the face of the claimants”.
Mafata added that, “Where we accept the claim, this means we have accepted the claim as a valid occupational injury or disease and we accept responsibility for the cost related to the claim (medical aid costs and disability costs). Those awaiting adjudication means the claim has been received, but no decision has been made on the claim due to outstanding information, or the claim has not been attended to as yet.”
The Fund pays out for temporary disablement while the worker is in quarantine, self-isolation or hospital; pays medical expenses; and where the illness tragically results in death, the Fund will pay out survivor benefits to dependents in the form of a monthly pension and funeral benefit.
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