ESIC enhances benefits, relaxes eligibility under RGSKY, ABVKY

In order to benefit the employees covered under the ESI scheme, enhancement in benefits and relaxation in eligibility conditions have been made in the ESI scheme.

Under the ESI scheme, unemployment allowances for employees who are rendered unemployed are being paid under two schemes viz Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) and Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY).

Under the ABVKY, the unemployment allowance has now been enhanced from 25% of the average salary drawn to 50% of the average salary, payable for a maximum of 90 days of unemployment. This enhanced benefit is available only in respect of employees who lost employment during the Covid-19 pandemic period from March 24, 2020, to December 31, 2020, said ESIC Mangaluru sub-regional office Director in Charge S Sivaramakrishnan.

In the relaxed eligibility condition, an employee should have contributed for not less than 78 days in the contribution period immediately prior to unemployment and a minimum of 78 days in one of the remaining three contribution periods in two years prior to unemployment.

Earlier, employees’ contributions should have been paid for a minimum of 78 days in each of the four consecutive contribution periods of six months each immediately preceding the claim.

The unemployment allowance, which was earlier payable after 90 days of unemployment, has been made payable after 30 days of the unemployment itself.

Insured persons can now submit the claim under ABYKY online directly to the branch Office of ESIC and the unemployment allowance would be paid directly to the bank account of the insured persons.

The insured persons, who are rendered unemployed due to ‘retrenchment’ or ‘closure’, as defined under the Industrial Disputes Act, can continue to avail unemployment allowance under RGSKY to the extent of 50% of the salary for the initial 12 months and 25% of the average salary from the 13th to 24th months, subject to fulfillment of the eligibility conditions, he added.

The benefit under ABVKY can be claimed by the insured persons, who are rendered unemployed, otherwise than due to ‘retrenchment’ or ‘closure’.

The insured persons and his dependents are entitled to medical care from ESIC during the period of receipt of unemployment allowance.

It is mandatory for all the insured persons of the ESIC to get their bank account numbers and mobile numbers updated in the ESIC portal.