AASIAN W WORKERS NNEWS July 1, 2013
NO. 313
[AWN FOCUS]
Do I have to apply for the Industrial Accident Insurance or treat it as an injury on duty Is it not an accident covered by the Industrial Accident Insurance when it occurs at lunch time?
Can I trust my company when they said, “we will take care of everything”?
Every issue including injuries,
It is your so rightful rights to get your accident covered by the insurance. When it is covered by the insurance, the record is left and sometimes the rate for the insurance increases, which is the reason your employer tries to avoid it. But when your accident is dealt with directly between you and your employer, there can be other problems: ① You might not be treated enough (your company might stop your medical treatment without your consent or ask you to work too soon); ② You might not get your salary fully (your company might complete it with a part of compensation money, not paying you with exact amount of your wage calculated by your average wage); ③ Your company might not take any responsibilities for the post-treatment symptoms, disabilities or injuries. (Later when you get the same problems, disabilities or injuries after treatment, your company might avoid the responsibility, saying that it’s your problem); ④ If you are undocumented, you have to get the medical treatment in fear of being deported (there is nothing for your company to do for your safe sojourn in Korea while in treatment).
diseases and deaths on health on duty is called ‘industrial accident (incident). If it occurs while you are on duty from the instruction of your boss or manager, it is an industrial accident (including sweeping and putting things in place).
It
also
includes
the
accidents by a facility in your workplace. It
also
includes
accidents
in
the
workplace while resting during resting time or between tasks, injuries while exercising with colleagues or managers, accidents during business trip, commuting by a shuttle vehicle from the order of your manager or boss, festivals or events arranged by your company and also accidents by a facility in your dormitory provided by your company. Hearing
disorder
caused
by
high
decibel sound, poisoning by hazardous chemicals, diseases in muscle and bone system by repetitive heavy load work, disease in respiratory organs caused by dusts in your workplace are all included in the industrial accidents.
My company is not subscribed in the insurance! Any owner of a business or a company consisting of 1 or more than 1 worker is obligatory to have the Industrial Accident Insurance and pay for the fee. You can get the benefit from the insurance even if your employer has not taken out the insurance yet or paid the insurance. Even if your employer does not cooperate or sign on the application, you can apply for it with attaching a proper document explaining the situations. However the employers of no corporation in the field of agriculture or fishing industry and with less than 5 workers are not obligatory for the insurance. Even if it is not covered by the insurance, the medical treatment fee should be paid by your employer.
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Minimum Wages for Sailor Migrant Workers Rises up to 1.1 million won The minimum wage has increased up to 1.1 million won for migrant sailors with E-10 visa since May 1. If a migrant sailor holding E-10 visa won't get an increase in wage, you should ask for a pay increase. If you get paid less than the minimum, you can ask for help from any human rights group nearby and report to the Maritime Affairs and Port Office(해양항만청).