EMPLOYEES who incurred absences from work because they tested positive for coronavirus and were quarantined even at home can avail themselves of Social Security System’s (SSS) sickness benefit.
This is the good news that SSS Davao Regional Communications Officer Greta Quayle shared during the One Davao on Covid-19 virtual presser on Friday, November 12, 2020.
“Even those asymptomatic Covid-19 positive patients and quarantined even at home are allowed to claim sickness benefits, kailangan lang nato ang (we only need the) positive RT-PCR result,” Quayle said.
But she said those who can avail themselves are members who have paid their SSS contribution of at least three months to one year prior to their filing of sickness notification.
“For example nasakit karong October (2021), dili apil sa computation (ang) July, August, September, October, November, December. Mao na syang ginatawag nato og semester of contingency. Backward ta, June 2021 pababa didto sa July 2020, so isa katuig tan-awn nato kung dunay siya’y payment at least three months qualified siya for sickness (If the person suffers illness in October 2021, his or her payment in July, August, September, October November, December will not be included in the computation. That’s what we call semester of contingency. We will trace backward from June 2021 to July 2020. If in one year s/he has paid at least three months then s/he is qualified to avail of the sickness benefit),” she said.
The computation for the sickness benefit, Quayle added, depends on the bracket of the paying member.
She also said that the sickness benefit of SSS does not only limit to those members who were hospitalized but also to those who were confined at home due to sickness as long as they are qualified.
Meanwhile, as to the data of how many have availed of the sickness benefit from SSS due to Covid-19 related sickness, Quayle revealed that although she doesn’t have the exact figure but since last year, especially when the pandemic erupted, SSS have already paid sickness benefits to several of its members who suffered from Covid-19-related diseases.
She also said that for those asymptomatic Covid-19 patients and where only confined at home or at quarantine facilities SSS automatically grants a 14-day maximum of sickness benefit, or equivalent to the required number of quarantine period. While those who were hospitalized would depend on the number of their confinement and recuperation period.
For related information about SSS sickness benefit, members can browse for answers to their queries here: https://www.sss.gov.ph/sss/appmanager/viewArticle.jsp?page=sickness.
Meanwhile, based on the World Health Organization data, as of March 19, 2021, more than 50 percent of Covid-19 positive patients in the Philippines are of working age (20-60 years old).