Workplace Accidents: How Should Leave and Salary Be Managed for Affected Employees?

Dear All,

At my workplace, we have accident insurance of Rs. 400,000 and above for all employees. If an employee meets with an accident at the workplace, how many leaves should be provided to him? Should this be borne by the Company or should it be deducted from his leave balance? Also, for how long should his salary not be deducted?

I would appreciate your views on the same.

Regards,
Priya

Dear HR friend Priya,

In your question, you have not mentioned whether the person was covered under the ESI scheme. If he is coming under the purview of ESI, you need not give leave for the entire period. He can get ESI leave and monetary benefits for the entire period from the ESI corporation.

If you covered all the employees under the Group Personal Accident policy, the insurance company will provide salary for the leave period and also 25% of the insurance for medical expenses.

Hence, the question of giving leave to the accident person will not arise.

Regards,
M. Alphonse
09940637095

Hi Priya,

Try going through these: what you need to decide would be to determine what your employees are applicable for:
- Workmen's Compensation Act 1923
- ESI Act
- Factories Act.

Also, if the above do not apply and the company has framed its own policies for accidents, try going through them.

For any compensation act/plan, the amount/number of leaves usually depends on the degree of disability, nature of the accident, and loss to the victim, etc. There are some major factors that are usually considered:
1. Is the victim of the accident unable to work for a period of 24 hours after the accident occurs?
2. What is the nature of the accident? For how long does he need to be admitted?
3. Is it permanent disability or temporary disability.