Health insurance is a prerequisite for employment

In the SUR primary trade union organization of seafarers in Sevastopol a crewmember from the vessel under the flag of the Russian Federation washelped to understand the conditions of the labor contract. The sailor had questions about paying for the period of temporary disability.

The fact is that during the work he was injured, underwent rehabilitation, according to the results of which he could again return to the profession but before the next voyage he turned to the trade union to clarify whether everything was correctly calculated according to the sick list. As Artem Boev, chairman of the trade union committee, noted the receiving compensation for injuries while working on board the vessel is one of the common issues that seafarers applied for the union for help.

In this case the rights of the sailor are fully respected, explained Artem Boev. The amount of his rehabilitation did not exceed the conditional benefit (deductible) agreed upon by the insurance contract –$1000. If the amount of medical expenses incurred by the sailor exceeds the deductible, the insurance company will reimburse the funds, if not, the employer. In this case, the shipowner compensated all the costs.

We add that for any seafarer insurance should be a prerequisite for employment. Even before the voyage the seafarer must specify the amount of insurance in case of injury, and the shipowner should inform about the financial guarantees that he can rely on in case of disability. In addition the employee must understand that he has the right to apply not only for insurance payment but also for paid sick leave, as well as compensation for additional costs associated with medical, professional and social rehabilitation. All amounts except for temporary disability benefits are paid by the Social Insurance Fund of the Russian Federation, but the employer transfers the money.

The SUR recalls that before concluding a labor contract it is better to contact the trade union and discuss its conditions with specialists. So a seafarer can defend his right to decent employment. At the same time do not forget about the existence of a collective agreement approved by the ITF which is the best guarantee of reliable employment.