S.S.B. Amends Benefits Regulation

The Social Security Board has positioned itself to mitigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The S.S.B. says that it remains committed to safeguarding the health, safety and well-being of its staff, customers and stakeholders. Several measures are in effect including the amendment to the benefits regulation. With thousands of individuals losing their jobs due to COVID-19, the Social Security Board has taken a necessary measure in order to provide Sickness Benefit coverage to unemployed workers who become sick as a result of COVID-19. Manager- Corporate Customer Relations Service Chandra Cansino explains.

Chandra Cansino

Chandra Cansino, General Manager- Corporate Customer Relations Service

“What we have done is waive some of the qualifying conditions for recently unemployed persons to collect sickness benefit should they be diagnosed with COVID-19. So what does that mean? That means if Hipolito was recently terminated and he get COVID-19, God forbid I hope you don’t get it Hipolito, then you would still be able to make a sickness benefit claim with Social Security as long as you meet the other qualifying conditions which would be that you were previously employed with march fifteenth, that you were employed before that, but you are no longer employed as result of the measures taken for COVID-19 then your sickness benefit will be paid until you recovered from COVID-19. We just want to ensure workers that we very concerned. We didn’t want them at their most vulnerable time to not be covered.”

Hipolito Novelo

“And that benefit is tied to the salary that the individual was earning?”

Chandra Cansino

“Yes, it is tied to the salary that they were making prior to their termination. This is Social Security benefit, not unemployed.”