As government offices started to transition to the "new normal" due to the pandemic, State-run Social Security System (SSS) announced Monday that it will now accept online filing of its Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Applications (SBRAs) of employers through its website.
(MANILA BULLETIN FILE PHOTO)
SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Aurora Ignacio said the development of the online facility is being implemented in line with the pension fund's ongoing digital transformation, which is now more significant because of the COVID-19 situation.
Ignacio said the online facility for SBRAs found at the My.SSS web portal allows employers to file their sickness benefit reimbursement claims in the convenience of their homes or offices without having to wait for the hardcopy of the approved sickness notification and the need to submit a duly accomplished SBRA form to an SSS office after giving the advance payment to their employee.
"Aside from expediting the processing time of sickness benefit reimbursements by eliminating the transmission of claims from SSS Branches to Processing Centers, this online facility will also reduce face-to-face interactions in our branches," Ignacio explained.
To use the online facility, Ignacio said employers must have a registered My.SSS account and must be enrolled in the SSS Sickness and Maternity Benefit Payment Thru-the-Bank Program and have a registered bank account in the web portal.
Employers must also have an SSS-approved sickness notification from their employees who are entitled to the sickness benefit. Likewise, they need to have a certification that the sickness benefit was paid in advance to their employees, which is consistent with the approved sickness notification.
"Through the online facility, an employer may submit his/her application by logging in to his/her My.SSS account, proceeding to the E-Services tab and clicking 'Submit SBRA' then answer and fill out the needed information," she added.
However, Ignacio said only SS SBRAs for new and initial claims with approved sickness notifications can be filed via the online facility, while Sickness Benefit Reimbursement claims for adjustment or re-filed claims must still be filed over-the-counter at SSS branches.
For more information, SSS encouraged members and employers to visit and follow its legitimate social media pages.