Socso coverage extended to domestic workers

KUALA LUMPUR: The Human Resources Ministry, through the Social Security Organisation (Socso), has extended its social security protection coverage to domestic workers effective June 1.

Socso chief executive Datuk Seri Dr Mohammed Azman Aziz Mohammed said this extension, under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 (Act 4) and the Employment Insurance System Act 2017 (Act 800), would enable domestic workers who were not previously covered by social security coverage to now receive the same protection as workers in other sectors.

He said domestic workers included maids, drivers or bodyguards, gardeners, residential security guards, cooks, babysitters, caregivers for the elderly or patients, helpers or people employed in relation to private residences.

Azman said some 104,400 domestic workers involving 15,000 workers with citizenship and permanent resident status, as well as 89,400 foreign workers, were expected to benefit from the initiative.

“The role of domestic workers in households is seen to be increasingly important with educational institutions such as schools, kindergartens and childcare centres ordered to close temporarily in compliance with the movement control order, ” he told a virtual press conference yesterday.

He added that domestic workers with citizenship, permanent resident and temporary resident status were covered through Act 4 and Act 800, while foreign domestic workers were covered through Act 4 only.

Azman also said registration of employers and employees for the coverage could be made from June 16 through the Assist portal https://assist.perkeso.gov.my. — Bernama