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ECC mulls including work-from-home employees in COVID-19 benefits coverage


The Employees’ Compensation Commission (ECC) is now looking into the possibility of including employees on a work-from-home arrangement in those qualified for COVID-19 benefits.

According to ECC Executive Director Stella Zipagan Banawis, at present employees working remotely are only entitled to benefits related to work-related injuries or death.

“Inaaral po ito kung puwedeng maisama ‘yung COVID-19 na nakuha sa bahay as work-related. Inaaral pa ito pero right now, hindi pa siya kasama,” she said during the Laging Handa virtual briefing.

(Studies are being conducted if COVID-19 contracted at home while working can be included in the coveage. This is being studied but right now, it is not included.)

At present, the ECC gives COVID-19 benefits to employees who contract the disease through work-related activities. Among the benefits are income, medical reimbursement, death and funeral, and EC cash assistance.

Those qualified for the benefits are all mandatory members of the Social Security System (SSS) and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), as well as voluntary members who have made at least a month’s worth of payment.

“Lahat ng self-employed ay covered under the EC program. Makakakuha ng EC benefits basta nakapagbayad ng kahit isang buwan lang,” said Banawis.

(All the self-employed are covered under the EC program. They will receive EC benefits as long as they made at least a month’s worth of payment.)

The ECC is mandated by law to provide a complete and comprehensive package of benefits and services for workers and their dependents in the event of work-related contingencies.

Banawis said that at present, the agency ensures that the COVID-19 cases are work-related through tracing the last day of attendance at work, and the date that the employee tested positive for the disease.

The Philippines on Wednesday, September 29, reported 12,805 fresh confirmed cases of COVID-19, bringing the country’s active cases to 132,339. The total caseload is now estimated at 2,535,732, which includes 2,365,229 recoveries and 38,164 deaths. —KBK, GMA News

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