Navigating Office Accidents: Who Covers Costs and Salary During Recovery?

Hi Friend, I want to know a few pieces of information regarding the accident in the office premises:

1. What if an employee is not covered under ESIC (Employee State Insurance Corporation) and meets with an accident in the course of employment?
2. Is the company liable to pay for his hospitalization expenses?
3. What if an employee is on a visit and has an accident for which he is at fault?
4. Now, the doctor recommends that the employee take a minimum of 2 months of rest. What about his salary - should it be paid by the company or not?

I am waiting for your reply.

Regards,
Balesh

Dear Balesh,

Determining the Cause of the Accident

First, determine the cause of this accident:
- Was it due to an unsafe act?
- Or was it due to an unsafe workplace?

In cases where there is no ESI, the Employees' Compensation Act will apply. If the accident was minor, as you mentioned, I suggest treating this case as a special one and allowing reimbursement of hospital expenses from the company.

Handling Leave and Disciplinary Actions

Regarding leave, you can instruct him to apply through ML, EL, or PL. Until the management decides on disciplinary action, have the safety committee conduct an inquiry into the accident and, based on their report, issue him a strict warning letter.

That should suffice. Remember to maintain a human touch in all your actions to build positive relationships with your employees.

Regards,
S. Sethupathy, Excellent HR Services, Erode.

In this case, the Employees' Compensation Act will apply. If the accident occurred during the course of employment, it's very difficult for the employer to prove that the employee was at fault.

Regards,
Kamal Prasoon Sinha