“Malaysia designates COVID-19 as occupational disease”, 08 April 2020

Malaysia’s Social Security Organisation (SOCSO) has moved to clarify that COVID-19 is recognised as an occupational disease under the country’s Employment Social Security Act 1969.

… SOCSO … [said] “Workers may be affected due to their nature of work, which increased their risk to infection, such as frontline workers, or it may affect workers in relation to their employment, such as from exposure to infected persons while doing their work.”

[E]mployees who contract COVID-19 due to direct exposure as a result of the nature of their work can claim for compensation. Similarly, employees who are infected due to their exposure arising out of, and in the course of their employment, will be covered under the Employment Injury Scheme…

… [P]atients who are infected from any other source and sustain permanent disablement, causing invalidity or death, may also be compensated through the Invalidity Pension Scheme…

SOCSO’s move comes after a group representing 51 different work unions and societies called for the Malaysian government to recognise COVID-19 as an occupational disease to allow public assistance in the event of infection or worse…

The group also pushed for laws compelling employers to provide safe working environments for their staff… including safety from … diseases like COVID-19.