PETALING JAYA: Employees should bear the additional cost for the extended 24-hour comprehensive social security coverage proposed for all private sector workers, says the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF).
Its president Datuk Dr Syed Hussain Syed Husman said the Social Security Organisation (Socso) Employment Injury Scheme was limited to injuries that occur during working hours, including while commuting.
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He explained that employers are required to contribute 1.25% of monthly wages towards the scheme while employees do not have to do so.
"When the scheme is extended to 24 hours, employees should cover the additional cost of extending the coverage by 12 hours.
"The cost of this coverage would require an additional contribution of 1.25% of monthly wages.
"MEF believes that the additional employee contributions towards the 24-hour (coverage) should be implemented in stages so as not to impose a severe financial burden on the employees," he said in a statement on Friday (Oct 25).
On Thursday (Oct 24), the government announced that plans for round-the-clock social security protection for workers are in the works.
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Deputy Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Mohamad told Parliament that Socso would be looking into a new framework to beyond working hours.
The extended coverage is expected to benefit about 7.6 million workers nationwide.
Syed Hussain believed that the extension would benefit all private-sector employees, including foreign workers.
"It will eliminate the issue of determining whether the injury suffered by an employee amounts to an employment injury or not, making Socso claims easier to resolve," he added.
Unions have reacted positively to the proposed extension, calling for its immediate implementation.
