What Myanmar law says
For SSB-registered employees, workplace injury treatment is funded primarily through the Social Security Board Employment Injury Benefit under the Social Security Law 2012. The employer's direct cost is initial first aid, evacuation to a medical facility, and any non-SSB shortfall (typically negligible at registered providers).
The OSH Law 2019 requires the employer to provide first aid on site and evacuate the injured worker to a competent medical facility. It does not directly fund treatment but creates the procedural duty.
Non-registered employees (where SSB registration is missing) generally fall back on the employer's direct cover and any private medical insurance the employer carries. Failing to register an employee with SSB does not relieve the employer of the resulting cost; it adds back-contributions and a fine on top.
Who pays — by employee status
| Scenario | Pays initial care | Pays ongoing treatment | Pays earnings replacement |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSB-registered, registered medical provider | Employer (then reimbursed) | SSB | SSB Employment Injury Benefit |
| SSB-registered, non-registered provider | Employer | Employer (limited SSB reimbursement) | SSB |
| Not SSB-registered (employer at fault) | Employer | Employer + SSB back-claim | Employer + SSB |
| Not SSB-registered (genuinely small operation under threshold) | Employer | Employer / private cover | Employer / private cover |
Edge cases
- Off-site or commute injury — eligibility for Employment Injury Benefit depends on whether transport was employer-arranged; check SSB rules.
- Long-tail occupational disease — covered if linked to working conditions; documentation matters.
- Contractor / agency worker — the contractor (SSB-registered employer of record) pays; principal coordinates first aid.
- Foreign nationals — SSB applies if registered; otherwise employer typically arranges private cover.
- Death in service — survivor's benefit through SSB plus statutory severance/notice if applicable.
Records and inspections
The SSB injury claim file, accident register, MoLES report copy, and medical records (with employee consent) must be on file. Retention ≥ 5 years for OSH-side; ≥ 7 years for payroll-linked SSB records. The OSH inspectorate and SSB both can call for records during a follow-up review.
Employer takeaway
For SSB-registered Myanmar employees, the SSB Employment Injury Benefit pays for treatment and earnings replacement after a workplace injury. The employer arranges first aid, evacuates the worker to a registered medical provider, and files the SSB claim promptly. If the employee was not SSB-registered when they should have been, the employer pays the cost plus back-contributions and a fine. Retain claim and accident files for at least 5 years.
Common mistakes
- Sending an injured employee to a non-registered medical provider, then losing SSB reimbursement.
- Failing to register new joiners with SSB within 30 days, then absorbing the full cost of any subsequent injury.
- Treating earnings replacement as the employee's loss — SSB pays a benefit; employer should help file the claim.
- Skipping the SSB notification while filing the MoLES OSH report.
Related reading: law on workplace accidents, workplace safety law, and safety records to maintain.
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