Govt moves on workers compensation fund
Minister of Labour Vera Kamtukule says government is pushing for operationalisation of the Workers Compensation Fund (WCF) to protect both workers and employees.
In an interview on the sidelines of an engagement with businesses on the operationalisation of the WCF in Blantyre on Friday, the minister said government wants to save the interests of workers and employers.
She said: “This is a pool of resources from business captions and the government. When someone has been injured at the workplace, there is a long process followed and eventually compensation is given.
a long process followed
“On the other hand, there was a lot of coniving that was happening where other people would take advantage of such injuries and ripoff companies. Companies have lost a lot of money in the process.”
Kamtukule said the establishment of the fund, where both government and employers will be contributing, will ensure a clear determination of how compensations will be managed.
On his part, Employers Consultative Association of Malawi (Ecam) executive director George Khaki said once the review of Workers Compensation Act 2000 is finalised, employers’ cost of production, which has gone up due to fraudulent claims, will be reduced.
He said:“We have been facing a lot of claims which are not in line with the type and scale of injuries we have had. We have also had delays in processing compensation due to bureaucratic procedures in government.”
Malawi Congress of Trade Unions vice-president Kelvin Chifunda, while welcoming the fund,said he hoped to see employers making the workplaces safe for their employees.
