ALOR SETAR: The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has set up a special task force to investigate claims under the Socso Employment Injury Scheme for Covid-19 to expedite payments to those involved.
Deputy Human Resource Minister Awang Hashim said applications from Socso contributors infected by the virus while on duty will be processed immediately and will take a maximum period of 45 days from the date of receipt to be processed.
“If the application meets all the Socso requirements, payment can be made as soon as possible,” he told reporters after opening the Kedah Malaysian Trades Union Congress (MTUC) triennial delegates conference here yesterday.
He said cases considered as injury at work are those who are confirmed to be infected by Covid-19 while working or were on duty.
Applications from Socso contributors who are confirmed to have been infected with the virus from family members and social contacts will not be accepted for the scheme, he added.
He said recipients under the scheme would be paid 90 percent of their salary according to the number of days they were treated in hospital until they were confirmed negative with the virus.
Meanwhile, Awang said Socso received a total of 376 applications under the scheme for Covid-19 last year , of which 129 of the applications had been approved.
“A total of 42 cases were rejected while another 205 are still under investigation and the total payment made so far is more than RM216,000,” he added. — Bernama