ESIC enhances benefits, relaxes eligibility conductions under RGSKY, ABVKY

MANGALURU: In order to benefit employees covered under employees’ state insurance (ESI) scheme, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has enhanced benefits and provided relaxation in eligibility conditions in the scheme. Under the scheme, unemployment allowances for those rendered unemployed is being paid under two schemes – Rajiv Gandhi Shramik Kalyan Yojana (RGSKY) and Atal Beemit Vyakti Kalyan Yojana (ABVKY).
S Sivaramakrishnan, director-in-charge, sub-regional office, ESIC, Mangaluru said under ABVKY, 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 have lost their jobs during the Covid19 pandemic period, that is from March 24 to December 31.
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 minimum 78 days in one of the remaining 3 contribution periods in two years prior to unemployment. Earlier, employees’ contribution 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 unemployment allowance will be paid directly to the bank account of the insured persons.
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 the RGSKY to the extent of 50% of salary for initial 12 months and 25% of the average salary from the 13th to 24th months, subject to fulfilment of eligibility conditions.
Benefits 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 those insured with ESIC to get their bank account numbers and mobile numbers updated in ESIC portal.