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What is the qualifying condition for sickness benefit under
ESI?
1. To become eligible for sickness benefit, an IP should have paid contribution for not less than 78 days during the corresponding contribution period.
2. A person who has entered into insurable employment for the first time has to wait for nearly 9 months before becoming eligible to sickness benefit, because his corresponding benefit period starts only after that interval.
3. Sickness benefit is not payable for the first two days of a spell of sickness except in case of a spell commencing within 15 days of closure of earlier spell for which sickness benefit was last paid. This period of 2 days is called "waiting period”.
4. This provision should be clearly understood by IMOs/IMPs as actual experience shows that such of IPs who want to avail themselves of medical leave on flimsy grounds generally come for First Certificate/First & Final Certificate within 15 days of earlier spell, usually on unpaid holidays and/or on each weekly off, etc., to avoid loss of benefit for 2 days due to fresh waiting period.
Vinod Kuriakose
(The writer can be contacted at
feedback2vinod@yahoo.co.uk)
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