According
to a Labor Ministry prakas, or official statement, both employers and employees
will be responsible for paying 1.3 percent of an employees’ monthly salary to
the government for state-supplied health insurance guaranteed to all workers
under the Labor Law.
“This
prakas determined the rate of contribution and form of payment for healthcare
insurance for everyone who is under the provisions of the Labor Law,” Labor
Minister Ith Samheng wrote, adding that it had not been decided when the
payments will start.
The 1.3
percent will be paid in riel, and all wages in foreign currencies will be
converted using the official exchange rate of the National Bank.
Sum
Sophorn, the deputy director of the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), told
Khmer Times yesterday that he could not comment on when payments for healthcare
would start.
“I cannot
tell you yet when the real schedule of starting contribution is, but it depends
on the registration of the enterprises. So far there are more than 100,000
workers registered,” Mr. Sophorn said, adding that once an employee is registered
for health insurance, the employee and the employer will be obliged to pay
their contribution to the NSSF.
Those who
work at two or more places and therefore pay more than the required 1.3 percent
will be compensated by the NSSF at the end of each year.
Employers
will be required to pay the 1.3 percent contribution each month for any
employee contracted for more than 15 days per month, the prakas reads.
The 1.3
percent figure is higher than the NSSF’s original estimate of the cost of state
healthcare. It was announced in January in a sub-decree that workers in the
textile and footwear industries would have their medical expenses covered by
the NSSF. Labor Ministry officials at that time said workers would spend less
than 1 percent of their wage for health services.
The
sub-decree, which had six chapters and 14 articles, was signed by Prime
Minister Hun Sen. Its aim was to create a mechanism to offer members of the
NSSF preventative health services, medical benefits, medical care and also
payment for staff who cannot work because of illness or a workplace accident,
or because they are on maternity leave.
Mom
Kunthear
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