Jamsostek claims payments being held up by companies<\/p>\n
Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Banda Aceh<\/p>\n
State-owned insurance company PT Jamsostek has called on
\ncompanies in tsunami-ravaged Aceh to provide lists of workers
\nvictimized in the disaster, in order to speed up the payment of
\nclaims to the victims' relatives.<\/p>\n
Mustafa Zaenal, chief of Jamsostek's branch office in Banda
\nAceh said here on Sunday that his company had delivered blank
\nforms to all companies registered in the social security programs
\nto fill out.<\/p>\n
\"Most companies that have workers registered with Jamsostek
\nhave not yet returned the forms so we can't pay the death and
\noccupational accidents benefits to workers who were killed or
\ninjured,\" he explained.<\/p>\n
He said officials from Jamsostek had visited numerous
\ncompanies whose workers were killed or injured in the disaster to
\nask them to return the forms soon, but most were unable to
\nbecause they were still trying to figure out how many workers
\nwere victimized.<\/p>\n
Many companies were still reluctant to hand over a list at
\nthis time because the search for missing workers was still
\nongoing, he claimed.<\/p>\n
Mustafa said that Jamsostek had given two months, or until
\nFeb. 26, for the companies to give them the lists to avoid any
\nmore delays.<\/p>\n
Jamsostek has allocated Rp 96.8 billion for the insurance
\nclaims to thousands of workers, who they estimate were killed or
\ninjured.<\/p>\n
According to Law No. 3\/1992 on social security programs,
\nJamsostek must pay Rp 6 million in death benefits and
\n42 times the gross monthly salaries in occupational accident
\nbenefits.<\/p>\n
\"Jamsostek plans to pay death benefits to workers's relatives
\nwho were killed when they were off-duty during the disaster and
\npays both death and occupational accident benefits,\" said
\nMustafa.<\/p>\n
He added that the claim for insurance payments would increase
\nfrom Feb. 26, two months after the disaster, because companies
\nwere expected to complete the inventory of their workers killed
\nor injured in the disaster.<\/p>\n
Mustafa also pointed out that a faster benefit payment process
\ncould help the Aceh economy recover. \"Many displaced persons have
\nnothing to start a new life with because they have lost their
\nrelatives and assets, especially houses and businesses in the
\ndisaster. The province's economy can be revived sooner if
\nJamsostek is able to identify and pay the beneficiaries all Rp 96
\nbillion,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Several people reported that they had received money already
\nfrom PT Jamsostek.<\/p>\n
Isnaini, head of the administrative section at the local tap
\nwater company, said several women whose husbands were killed in
\nthe disaster had received between Rp 12 million (US$1,333) and Rp
\n40 million from Jamsostek. They said that they had used the funds
\nas capital for new businesses and to send their children to
\nschool.<\/p>\n
Mariaiyah who received more than Rp 40 million following the
\ndeath of her husband, said she had used a part of the money to
\nstart buying and selling basic commodities at the local market
\nand put aside another part to finance the education of her five
\nchildren.<\/p>\n
Mariaiyah's husband was one of the more than 230,000 people
\nkilled or missing in the Dec. 26 tsunami disaster.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/jamsostek-claims-payments-being-held-up-by-companies-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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