THE Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) has directed the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) to speed up the release of employees’ compensation (EC) claims for all workers who get infected with COVID-19 during the pandemic.
ECC executive director Stella Zipagan-Banawis said the directive is an acknowledgement of the risks that workers face amid the coronavirus disease pandemic.
“Workers may become ill as a result of their exposure during these times,” she she said.
Under ECC Board Resolution No. 20-03-07, the SSS and GSIS are directed to speed up the grant of EC benefits to workers who acquired diseases during the pandemic, by streamlining the required documents.
This include the submission in the EC logbook the application form, medical diagnosis showing that the claimant was diagnosed positive for the disease or having similar symptoms while on duty during the period of outbreak, and a certification from the employer proving that the worker is on duty during the period of outbreak.
Still, the ECC said the SSS or the GSIS may conduct a field inspection to validate the claims.
Based on latest from the Department of Health, 9,822 healthcare workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
