The ESI scheme provides six social security benefits to employees: Medical benefit, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, disablement benefit, and dependant’s benefit and funeral expenses. In addition to these benefits, the insured workers get certain other benefits as well.
Employees Contribution
The ESI Scheme runs like the most of the social security schemes. It is a self-financing health insurance scheme and the contributions are raised from covered employees and their employers as a fixed percentage of wages. The payments are to be made on a monthly basis. An employee covered under the scheme has to contribute 1.75% of the wages whereas; an employer contributes 4.75% of the wages payable to an employee. The total contribution in respect of an employee thus works out to 6.5% of the wages payable. However, employees earning less than Rs 50/- a day are exempted from payment of contribution.
Benefits of the ESI Scheme
All insured persons and dependants are entitled to free, full and comprehensive medical care under the scheme. This medical care is provided through a network of ESI dispensaries, panel clinics, diagnostic centres and ESI hospitals.