Burma (Myanmar)

Old Age, Disability, Death

Special pension system for public employees only.
Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 348 kyats.

Survivor Benefits

(Funeral grant of 1,000 kyats payable under sickness insurance.)

Sickness and Maternity

First and current law: 1954.
Type of program: Social insurance system. Cash and medical benefits.

Coverage

Employees of firms with 5 or more workers in industry and commerce; employees of specified industries and services.
Coverage being extended gradually to different regions; now applies in Yangon, Mandalay, Mawlamyaing, Pathein, Bago and 68 townships.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 1-1/2% of earnings, according to 10 wage classes.
Employer: 1-1/2% of payroll, according to 10 wage classes.
Government: Subsidies if necessary.
Maximum earnings for contribution and benefit purposes: 1,000 kyats a month.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness benefits: 17 weeks of contributions in last 26 weeks (or registered as unemployed for not over 26 weeks).
Cash maternity benefit: 26 weeks of contributions in 52 weeks before confinement.
Medical benefits: Currently in insured employment (or registered as unemployed for not over 26 weeks).

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: 50% of earnings, according to 10 wage classes; minimum, 2.00 kyat a day. Payable from first day of incapacity for up to 26 weeks for one illness.
Maternity benefit: 2/3 of earnings, according to 10 wage classes; minimum, 2.55 kyats a day. Payable for 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after confinement.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Medical benefits: Medical services provided directly to patients through the Social Security Board's dispensaries and hospital, dispensaries of large employers, and public hospitals.
Includes medical care at dispensary, emergency domiciliary care, specialist and laboratory services at diagnostic center, necessary hospitalization, maternity care, and medicines. Duration: 26 weeks for one illness (may be extended in special cases).

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, general supervision.
Social Security Board, administration of program.

Work Injury

First law: 1923 Current law: 1954 (social insurance). (Earlier work-injury law still in force for nonagricultural employees not yet covered by social insurance; provisions not shown.)
Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees of firms with 5 or more workers in industry and commerce; employees of specified industries and services.
Coverage being extended gradually to different regions; now applies in Yangon, Mandalay, Mawlamyaing, and 68 other districts.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.
Employer: 1% of payroll, according to 10 wage classes.
Government: None.
Maximum earnings for contribution and benefit purposes: 1,000 kyats a month.

Qualifying Conditions

Work-injury benefits: No minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

Temporary disability benefit: 2/3 of earnings, according to 10 wage classes. Payable from first day of incapacity for up to 52 weeks.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability pension: 2/3 of earnings, according to 10 wage classes, if totally disabled.
Constant-attendance supplement: 25% of pension.
Partial disability: Percentage of full pension, corresponding to percent loss of capacity (converted to lump sum equivalent to 5 years pension if below 20%).

Workers' Medical Benefits

Medical benefits: Same as for ordinary sickness, but with no limit on duration; appliances also provided.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: 28-267 kyats a month, according to 10 wage classes (equals about 27% of covered earnings). Orphans: 14-133.50 kyats a month, according to 10 wage classes for each orphan under age 16 (about 13% of covered earnings). Each full orphan receives 21-200 kyats (about 20% of earnings). Other eligible survivors (if no widow or orphan): Aged or disabled dependent relatives.
Maximum survivor pensions: 2/3 of earnings.
Funeral grant: 1,000 kyats.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, general supervision.
Social Security Board, administration of contributions and benefits.

Please note: This information is more than 4 years old.