Sickness and the Workplace, HIV/AIDS and the workplace, Health and Work, Wages and Work, Sick Leave and more on Mywage Zambia.
By Meluse Kapatamoyo
Everybody gets sick at some point. However, some may need more time to recover then others. It is important to know what your rights are in terms of illness and your workplace.
How long can an employee stay away from work due to illness without losing their pay?
The Minimum Wages Act states that:
- An employee will get full pay during the first three months; and
- Thereafter at half pay for the next three months:
What happens after that?
Provided that the employee has not recovered from illness or accident after six months from the date of illness or accident, the employer may on the recommendation of a registered medical practitioner or medical institution designated by the employer, discharge the employee, whereupon the entitlement to sick leave shall cease.
Is this the case with all organisations?
No. Because this is negotiable, the terms vary from organisation to organisation. For instance, most have the first twelve months on full pay and thereafter it’s at the discretion of management to pay further or have the employee medically examined for discharge on medical grounds. For others, its six months full and half for the next six months. It all depends on the negotiated conditions of service.
What about HIV/AIDS positive employees who may need a longer period to recover?
In terms of HIV-related illnesses, almost all institutions in Zambia now have HIV/AIDS workplace policies that take care of such instances. Because HIV/AIDS is a reality that can no longer be ignored, unions like ZUFIAW have been actively working with member institutions to ensure that these policies are not only put in place but are functional as well.
At the moment ZUFIAW, in partnership with UNI, is running an HIV/AIDS project that is training mainstream union leaders and executives in peer education and managing HIV/AIDS in the workplace. The project is at national level and involves a number of other unions in Zambia.
Which companies offer excellent health care packages?
Although no formal research has been done, Bank of Zambia (BOZ) and Standard Chartered Bank are at the moment considered to have the best medical schemes in place. BOZ has its own clinic for employees, while Standard Chartered Bank has a limitless scheme which allows staff and their immediate families to access medical care at no limit for as long as it is needed.
And while it is common in most institutions to have separate clinics for unionised and management staff, at the bank all staff, both union and management access the same facilities at the same cost.
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