The Ministry of Labour and Employment vide its notification dated 24th February 2022 has published the Employees’ State Insurance (Central) Draft Amendment Rules, 2022 which shall be effective for the period 1st January 2021 to 30th June 2021.
The amendment is proposed under rule 55 which deals with sickness benefits in which the following proviso has be added:
A person shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit for sickness occurring during any benefit period if the contributions in respect of him were payable for not less than seventy-eight days in] the corresponding contribution period and shall be entitled to receive such benefit at the daily standard benefit rate for the period of his sickness :
“Provided that person appointed before 01.04.2020 shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit for benefit period, January 2021-June 2021, if the contributions in respect of him/her were payable for not less than 39 days in the contribution period from April, 2020- September, 2020 or for not less than seventy-eight days in the contribution period from October, 2019 to March, 2020 and the daily rate of Sickness benefit for them shall be as provided in sub-rule (2) calculated on basis of standard benefit rate during the contribution period from April, 2020 to September, 2020 or October, 2019 to March, 2020 respectively”
Further under rule 56 An insured woman shall be qualified to claim maternity benefits for a confinement occurring or expected to occur in a benefit period, if the contributions in respect of her were payable for not less than seventy days in the immediately preceding two consecutive contribution periods.
“Provided that an Insured Women shall be eligible to claim maternity benefit for a confinement occurring or expected to occur in the benefit period January 2021-June 2021 if contributions in respect of her were payable for not less than 35 days in the immediately preceding two consecutive contribution periods from October, 2019 to March, 2020 and April, 2020- to September, 2020.”
