Employment Injury Scheme Extended

Fishermen, artists and farmers could soon be protected under the Employment Injury Scheme.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the Government is looking to extend the social security scheme to cover more informal jobs in stages.

"When I presented Budget 2017, I announced an RM60mil grant to implement the Employment Injury Scheme for self-employed taxi drivers and other similar jobs.

"For starters, the scheme, which will be implemented on June 1, will cover some 100,000 self-employed taxi drivers and drivers of e-hailing services such as Uber and GrabCar.

"The Government wants to expand the scope of coverage for this scheme in stages, to other informal jobs such as fishermen, farmers, smallholders, hawkers and artists.

"Through this scheme, these workers will be protected if they get involved in accidents while working or suffer from occupational diseases, just like workers in formal sectors," said Najib, in his Labour Day speech at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre on Monday.

The Employment Injury Scheme comes under the Self Employment Social Security Bill 2017, which was passed by Parliament last month.