ECC executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis (Screengrab from Laging Handa briefing)
MANILA – Workers who are not yet members of state pension agencies for both public and private sectors can claim employee compensation (EC), the chief of the Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) said on Friday.
“Workers are covered by the Employees Compensation from the first day of work even if their employers have yet to apply them as members of SSS (Social Security System) or GSIS (Government Service Insurance System),” executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said in a statement.
She added that non-payment of SSS or GSIS contributions will not prevent workers from claiming the EC benefits.
“In case your employer has yet to pay the contributions but you have been employed there for a long while, it will not prejudice your EC benefits,” Banawis said.
She added that the implementing agencies, SSS or GSIS, will run after the employers who fail to remit employee contributions.
“The employee will get the benefits and the employer has to pay for it. The funds that have been given to the worker will be returned to the state insurance fund so that it can be utilized to other claims,” the ECC chief said.
The ECC is a government agency mandated by law to provide various services and compensation package to public and private employees and their dependents in the event of work-related illness, injury, or death.
It also compensates any work-connected injury or sickness resulting in disability or death of members.
The agency provides loss of income benefit, temporary and permanent disability benefits, medical benefit, rehabilitation services, carer's allowance, and death benefits. (PNA)
