Labor insurance insured persons who encounter an insured event during the coverage period will be eligible to apply for benefits according to the Labor Insurance Act. An insured who has been tested positive for COVID-19 and is in the following circumstances will be eligible to apply to the Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) for labor insurance benefits, which will be subject to BLI review.
- The insured is hospitalized for COVID-19 and unable to work, and therefore is unable to receive the same wages. The insured will be eligible to apply for the ordinary injury or sickness benefits of labor insurance for the period starting on the 4th day of hospitalization. Those who are quarantined and treated in a quarantine facility or reinforced quarantine hotel as mandated by the municipalities and county(city) governments will also be eligible to apply.
- If an insured is tested positive and continues to consistently show symptoms after treatment, and no improvement could be expected from further treatment and is diagnosed to be permanently disabled and meeting the Labor Insurance Disability Benefit Payment Standards by an NHI-approved hospital, the insured will be eligible to apply for ordinary disability benefits of labor insurance.
- If an insured dies from COVID-19, his/her survivors will be eligible to apply for survivor benefits of labor insurance.
If an insured suspects that he/she has contracted the disease for work related reasons, the insured may contact a nearby Occupational Diseases and Injuries Service Center or Occupational Diseases and Injuries Service Network Hospital for a diagnosis. For information on Occupational Diseases and Injuries Service Center and Occupational Diseases and Injuries Service Network Hospital, please visit the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration website.
To claim that the disease is contracted for work related reasons, the insured, in addition to the forms and documents that must be prepared for the benefits, will be required to provide the job description, the cause of disease, and the process of contracting the disease, and submit the necessary supporting documents (e.g. information on contact with COVID-19 confirmed case, a government issued notice for quarantine, or PCR test result). BLI will review applications on a case-by-case basis. If BLI finds comprehensively a cause-and-effect relationship in a case, the disease will be considered as an occupational injury.