Author: Julandie Scholtz (Swart) UIF Specialists
The South African government has updated the rules for domestic workers, stating that they are now covered by Workman's Compensation.
The Compensation Fund commissioner, Vuyo Mafata, has issued additional regulations to the Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Act (Coida) to confirm that domestic workers are entitled to compensation for illness or injury contracted while at work.
The new rules outline the types of compensation that will be paid and specify that domestic employees will now be entitled to compensation if they are injured or contract diseases while on duty.
Benefits paid to injured domestic workers are the same as those paid to all other injured employees, based on an approved formula and minimum and maximum compensation outlined in Schedule 4 of the Compensation for Occupational Injury and Diseases Act.
The updated rules also cover compensation payable to the dependents of employees who died as a result of injury on duty or occupational disease, including funeral expenses, pensions, and other awards.