ESI Card Dilemma: Can a Family Member Get a Separate Card with a New Job?

In a family, one person has an ESI card that includes all family members. One member has joined another company and wants to avail of the facility. Is it possible to provide him/her with another account (another smart card)? If not, how will the new company accommodate his/her ESI claim? Kindly suggest.

There is no restriction on different members of the family from owning all holding different and independent identity cards from ESIC. Which of the cards the person wants to use when he is sick is his choice. Whether he takes a card or not, the company will be required to deduct the ESIC contribution and pay the same to the government.

Logically, when the employee is sick, he will use his card and not his family card.

Types of ESI Cards

There are only two types of ESI cards: one is the Identity Card meant for the Insured Person/employee, and the second is the Family Identity Card, which is meant for the family members of an insured person/employee. The detailed procedure has been mentioned in Regulations 17 & 95A of ESI (General) Regulations, 1950. ESIC also issues a combined card that includes the names of family members as well. This is a procedural matter.

Changing Employment and ESI Card Update

If an Insured Person/employee changes his employment, he is required to get his identity card corrected by the concerned Branch Office of ESIC. I think there is some form for this purpose also, which can be obtained from the concerned Branch Office. Online facilities to change the code number may also be available, which can be ascertained from the concerned Branch Office. If the said insured person does not get his Identity Card/family identity card corrected by entering the code number of the new employer on his cards, then he will face a problem in getting medical benefits because after the close of the benefit period, he/his family will not be entitled to any benefits (though the said insured person/employee may still be contributing under the ESI Act, 1948, and rules/regulations framed thereunder).

Disclosure of Previous Insurance Details

When an insured person/employee leaves a factory/organization and joins a new unit covered under the said Act, he must disclose his old insurance number and old code number of the previous employer to the concerned officials of his unit. Otherwise, as mentioned above, he may face disentitlement even for medical facilities after the close of the relevant benefit period.

Harsh,
I think he is talking about a family with two persons working for two different companies, both covered under ESIC. So, do they get two ID cards and two family cards? And whether that would be a violation of the law.

Identity Cards and Legal Compliance

I am not sure whether it will be a violation of the law to keep two different Identity Cards for the same employee. We have to follow the procedures as laid down in the Rules & Regulations. However, I believe that by claiming any benefits on the previous Identity Card, the insured person in question will definitely incur a loss, as explained in my remarks above. Since the records are now online, the concerned dispensary will declare the person presenting the old IC as 'NOT ELIGIBLE,' and similar treatment will be received from the Branch Office of ESIC.

Entitlement with Separate Identity Cards

When two separate Identity Cards have been issued for two covered employees of a family, naturally, their entitlement will be as defined under the said Act and rules and regulations.

Yes, sir,

My doubt is what exactly was raised by Mr. Harsh, and the same point has been raised by the employee who has joined a new company.