Following the earlier Newsflash “Compensation for Workplace Acquired Covid-19 Virus Disease” circulated on the 25th of May 2020, which is attached hereto, the Department of Employment and Labour has issued a second Directive in this regard.
The most important part for RMI members of this second Directive is the substitution of the old claims form by the new claims form “Covid-19 Exposure and Medical Questionnaire” which is also attached.
Please print or save this new form for ready access should the need arise.
The procedure for submission of claims is as follows: –
Online claims for Covid-19 must mention the ICD-10 code of ‘UO7.1’.
Compensation Fund CompEasy (www.labour.gov.za
Rand Mutual Assurance CompCare (www.randmutual.co.za)
Manual claims must be sent to these e-mail addresses:
Gauteng GP-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (012) 319 9352
Limpopo LP-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (015) 290 1696
North West NW-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (018) 387 8169
Mpumalanga MP-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (013) 655 8944
Free State FS-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (051) 605 6331
KwaZulu Natal KZN-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (031) 366 2033
Northern Cape NC-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (053) 838 1570
Eastern Cape EC-Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (041) 506 5119
Western Cape WC Covid19claims@labour.gov.za (021) 441 8174
The other changes in the second Directive that are relevant to RMI members are the following:
- A claim for the contracting of the Covid-19 virus by an employee ‘at the workplace’ has now been broadened to include cases both where an employee contracts the Covid-19 disease whilst travelling in ‘high-risk countries or areas’, or whilst carrying out ‘any duty’ related to the employer’s business interests. This is clearly a very wide scope.
- The addition of a group called ‘Persons Under Investigation’ (PUI); these are employees whose diagnosis is still under investigation.
- The COIDA fund will not compensate these employees at this stage.
- Employers should instead place the employee on paid sick leave* (with a claim to the Sick, Accident, and Maternity (SAMF) fund where appropriate).
- Where the sick leave allocation has been exhausted, employers should claim for compensation for the employee under the TERS scheme**.
(*Consolidated Covid-19 Directive on Health and Safety in the Workplace)
(**Covid-19 Temporary Employee/ Employer Relief Scheme)
Download “COMPENSATION FOR WORKPLACE ACQUIRED COVID-19 VIRUS DISEASE - 22 MAY”
Download “Covid 19 Exposure Questionnaire 23 July 2020”