Who are covered under the Employees’ Compensation Program?
- Private sector workers who are compulsory members of the Social Security System (SSS) and sea-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs).
- Government sector employees who are members of the Government service Insurance System (GSIS), including members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, elective government officials who are receiving regular salary and all casual, emergency, temporary and substitute or contractual employees.
When shall coverage of the employees under the Employees’ Compensation Program start?
Employees shall be covered starting on the first day of their employment.
When is sickness or injury compensable under the Employees’ Compensation Program?
For the sickness and the resulting disability or death to be compensable, the sickness must be the result of an occupational disease listed under Annex “A” of the Amended Rules on Employees’ Compensation with the conditions set therein satisfied, otherwise, proof must be shown that the risk of contracting the disease is increased by the working conditions.
For the injury and the resulting disability or death to be compensable, the injury must be the result of accident arising out of and in the course of the employment.
What are the benefits under the Employees’ Compensation Program?
The benefits are the following:
- Loss-of-income benefits;
- Medical services, appliances and supplies;
- Carers’ allowance;
- Rehabilitation services;
- Death benefits;
- Funeral benefits
In case an employee dies, who shall receive the income benefits to which he is entitled to?
His/her beneficiaries.
Who are the employees’ beneficiaries?
The beneficiaries shall be either primary or secondary, and determined at the time of employee’s death.
The following beneficiaries shall be considered primary:
- The legitimate spouse living with the employee at the time of the employee’s death until he remarries; and
- Legitimate, legitimated, legally adopted or acknowledged natural children, who are unmarried, not gainfully employed, not over 21 years of age, or over 21 years of age provided he is incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to physical or mental defect which is congenital or acquired during minority.
The following beneficiaries shall be considered secondary:
- The legitimate parents wholly dependent upon the employee for regular support;
- The legitimate descendants and illegitimate children who are unmarried, not gainfully employed, not over 21 years of age, or over 21 years of age provided he is incapacitated and incapable of self-support due to physical or mental defect which is congenital or acquired during minority.
Primary beneficiaries shall have priority claim to death benefits over secondary beneficiaries. Whenever there are primary beneficiaries, no death benefit shall be paid to his secondary beneficiaries.
When shall EC claims be filed?
EC claims must be filed within a period of three years from:
- In case of sickness, from the time the employee was unable to report for work;
- In case of injury, from the time of the incident;
- In case of death, from the date of death.
The filing of disability or death benefits either under the SSS law or the GSIS law within three years from the time the cause of action accrued would stop the running of the prescriptive period.
Where are EC claims filed?
All EC claims may be filed by the claimant at his option in the GSIS Regional Office (for the public sector) or SSS Branch (for the private sector) nearest to his place of work or residence.
What if my EC claim was denied at the GSIS or the SSS?
He/she may file a request for reconsideration with the GSIS or SSS main office. If still denied, the claimant can write a letter of appeal to the Employees’ Compensation Commission.
What is the ECC-QRP?
The Employees’ Compensation Commission Quick Response Team Program is an immediate assistance extended to help workers who suffer from work-connected contingencies or their families who have to deal with work accidents or sudden onset of occupational disease or death, in the form of psycho-social counselling and assistance in the filing of EC claim with the GSIS or the SSS.
Who are covered under the ECC-QRP?
All Employees’ Compensation (EC) members.
What are the benefits and services provided by the ECC-QRP?
- Psycho-social counselling and stress-debriefing to victims and their families to help them cope with the contingency.
- Information on the Employees’ Compensation Program (ECP) and the ECC-Quick Response Team Program.
- Assistance in the processing of EC requirements.
- Facilitation on the prompt release/Payment of the EC benefits to worker/beneficiary.
What is the ECC’s KaGabay Program?
The Employees’ Compensation Commission Katulong at Gabay sa Manggagawang may Kapansanan or KaGabay Program is a special economic assistance program for occupationally-disabled workers (ODWs) who lost employment by reason of work-related sickness or injury.
Who may qualify under the KaGabay Program?
EC members with approved EC disability benefits.
What are the benefits and Services of the KaGabay program?
- Physical restoration which refers to the provision of physical or occupational therapy services to ODWs including medical appliances.
- Skills Training for re-employment so that the ODW can acquire new skills but subject to the ODWs potentials and residual functional capacity.
- Entrepreneurial Training to accredited training institutions to enable the ODW to set up home-based business.