Injuries and Compensation

Work Injuries and Compensation in Zimbabwe, All about Injuries, Work Accident and how to Claim Compensation, Workplace Injuries and Benefits and more on Mywage Zimbabwe.

 

 

 

The reporting of workplace injuries/accidents:

Once an employee is injured in a work related accident the employer must immediately provide first aid before promptly referring him/her to the nearest medical centre. The employer is then required to report the accident to the nearest NSSA office by completing WCIF 14 (Accident Report Form).

The employer is obliged to report an accident of a worker within 14 days of gaining knowledge of such a work related accident.

Types of Benefits

The Accident Prevention and Workers Compensation scheme offers short term and long term benefits. 

Currently payment of short term benefits is decentralised to six Regional Offices, whereas payments of long term benefits is centralised at Head Office, in Harare.

Short Term Benefits

Periodical Payments

Provision of compensatory income where this has been lost or stopped by work related accidents. This benefit is paid up to a maximum of 180 days.

Lump Sum

Where a worker’s injury results in residual disability, be it temporary or permanent, compensation will be paid to him/her as a lump sum (a once-off payment in full and final settlement of the injury on duty claim), if the percentage disability is 30% or less and the monthly pension is below the minimum pension (the current minimum pension is US$15.00)

Funeral Grant

If the work related injury or disease results in the worker losing his/her life, the scheme currently pays a grant towards funeral expenses. The Minister of Labour and Social Services adjusts the funeral grant payable from time to time. The funeral grant is currently pegged at US$200.00.

Medical Costs

The scheme pays all medical expenses related to the injury at work. Other related costs that are met by the scheme are in respect of transport and provision of artificial appliances. However, the payment of expenses such as drugs, hospitalisation and surgical procedures are made using the ruling Association of Health Funders of Zimbabwe (AHFoZ) rates.

Long Term Benefits

Worker's Pension

In instances where a worker’s injury/ work related disease results in permanent disablement, and if their pension is equal to or greater than the minimum pension, compensation will be paid to the employee as a monthly pension.

Widow/Widower’s Pension

If a worker dies as a result of a work related accident or disease, the surviving spouse receives a pension equivalent to two thirds of the deceased’s pension. In the case of a worker with more than one surviving spouse, the proceeds will be shared equally between them. If the surviving spouse remarries, he/she gets a lump sum equivalent to 24 months’ pension.

Children’s Allowance

Children’s allowances are included in the employee’s pension for children up to the age of 19 years or up to 25 years if children are still attending formal school or college/university.

Dependency Allowance

If a single worker dies as a result of work related accident, the dependants who can get an allowance can be parents, sisters or brothers. However, proof of dependency must be established.

Constant Attendance Allowance

This is a monthly allowance paid to constant attendants (nurse aides) for the service of caring for paraplegics, quadriplegics and other severely disabled workers.

Rehabilitation Benefits

The WCIF scheme offers full rehabilitation services for injured workers at a fully equipped Workers’ Compensation Rehabilitation Centre in Bulawayo. 

The Workers Compensation Rehabilitation Centre aims to provide the disabled worker with an enabling environment where they can be rehabilitated both physically and mentally. After successful completion of prescribed treatment programmes, a disabled worker should be able to lead a near normal life and participate in normal activities in society as an equal member. 

Vocational training is a key and integral part of the rehabilitation process. The rehabilitates are offered vocational training in the following areas: carpentry, leather craft, poultry and market gardening, metal work and tailoring to assist them to rejoin society as employable or self supporting members.

Read more

Find out more about the Labour Laws in Zimbabwe in our Decent Work section.


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