The Verkhovna Rada has passed today the following draft bills to presently emerge as full-blown pieces of legislation:
Bill No.3376-1 - The Verkhovna Rada has endorsed the Law of Ukraine “On amendments to Article 39 of the Law of Ukraine ‘On protection of the population against infectious diseases’ as concerns the additional guarantees of rights of medical and other workers engaged in protecting the population against infectious diseases, and their family members”.
The law runs the state will secure insurance payouts to medical staff of state-owned and communal institutions provided that:
- a class of COVID19-caused disability was assigned during a year given that this disease is associated with his/her professional tasks, functions and duties carried out against the increased risk of infection - in proportion to disability class and disablement degree assigned, not less, however, than 300-fold amount of living wage statute-established for the employable as of the start of the relevant calendar year;
- death benefits – to be payable in 750-fold amount of living wage statute-established for the employable as of the start of the relevant calendar year. The size and the procedure for such payouts, stipulated by clause 1 of the third part of this article, will be defined by Ukraine’s cabinet of ministers.
In the occurrence of an insured event under clause 1 of the third part of this article, the insurance payout is to be assigned and paid to the employee within one month from the date on which the payout entitlement arose.
In the occurrence of an insured event under clause 2 of the third part of this article, the insurance payout is to be assigned and paid on the one-off basis in equal parts to family members, parents and dependents of the deceased worker within one month from the date on which the payout entitlement arose.
Family members and parents of the deceased employee are to be determined in accordance with the Family Code of Ukraine.
The bill provides for a range of other benefit stipulations for medical workers, medical undergraduates and interns directly involved in the antivirus battle.
This law applies to all cases of infection or death due to coronavirus infection (COVID-19) of medical workers of state-owned and municipal health care institutions, public research institutions who performed their professional duties against the increased risk of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), that have taken place since the launch of quarantine by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine in accordance with the above law.
Bill No. No.3380 – The parliament of Ukraine passed the Law of Ukraine “On amendments to some laws of Ukraine aimed to increase the capability of Ukraine’s healthcare system to counteract the spread of the coronavirus disease COVID-19”.
The bill is drafted to alter the entire body of Ukraine’s healthcare legislation, launching a whole set of additional interim measures of social protection (and other organizational arrangements) for medical workers and those involved in battling with the COVID-19 spread for the period covering the set quarantine term plus two months to boot:
- temporary disability benefit – 100% of average wage (income) regardless of insurance contribution record (for medical workers);
- temporary disability benefit – 50% of average wage (income) regardless of insurance contribution record (for patients in hospitals and those on self-isolation at home under medical supervision because of the anti-coronavirus measures introduced);
- medical interns, as well as medical specialists without qualification grade (as yet), are allowed to join in the anti-COVID 19 crusade provided that all relevant involvement restrictions are set;
- mandatory outpatient and in-hospital testing for all who seek medical aid against coronavirus disease signs and those in contact with the fallen ill, as well as medics who render medical help to police-officers, servicemen of the national guard and other employees involved in the anti-epidemic measures.