Address: 8 Houlton Drive, Palm Beach, 4275, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa | Tel: 031 702 0449 | Fax: 086 605 2670

COIDA DEADLINE 31st May 2022

The Department of Employment and Labour reminds employers that the deadline for COIDA for 2022, is 31 May. Submissions must be made to satisfy the requirements of The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases Amendment Act (COIDA), 1997 (Act 61 of 1997). COIDA relates to all employees who work for an employer for more than 24 hours a month, and it is designed to ensure that employees who happen to be injured on duty or become ill as a result of their workplace environment and circumstances, have recourse to have the associated medical bills paid for.

The employer is responsible for submitting all documentation required for compensation claims and for paying the fees attached to this benefit. As health and safety in the workplace is the responsibility of all who might be involved in the functioning of that workplace, from the employer, to the employee, to contractors, it is important to understand that anyone who is found to be delinquent in abiding to health and safety rules and regulations, may be excluded from benefiting from workman’s compensation, should it be proven that they have been remiss.

Thorough investigations of the causes for any workplace related injury or illness will be carried so that the Department of Employment and Labour can be satisfied that everything that could have been done to prevent such events, has in fact been proactively affected. Employers are required to report all workplace related incidents and accidents regardless of how minor, including minor lacerations, contusions and abrasions.

Employers are required to pay an assessment fee on an annual basis to the Fund which is used to cover any reasonable expenses owed to stipulated medical service providers once the Fund has assessed the validity of the claim and is satisfied that there is no one culpable for neglect. This has been extended to include Covid-19. Should the Fund find in favour of the claim, no co-payment will need to be made, as long as the documentation is correctly submitted, and the company has made their annual payments accurately. Employers are required to product a Letter of Good Standing which proves that they have declared the income correctly and subsequently paid the correct sum to the Fund. ‘

Should an employee become temporarily disabled because of the accident or workplace related illness, the Fund will pay for a minimum of three days off from work while sick or recovering, and a percentage of the individual’s salary for the remainder of the recouperation days. In the event of permanent disability, the fund will either pay between 1% and 30% as a lump sum, or, should the disability be established as being greater than 30%, a monthly pension will be paid out, based on the employee’s salary at the time. In the event of the death of an employee, compensation will be made to the employee’s beneficiary, as a lump sum as well as a monthly pension.