Work Injury Benefits
Disability / Work Injury Benefit
Work injuries (occupational accidents and diseases) can lead to the following four situations: (i) permanent total incapacity (ii) permanent partial incapacity (iii) temporary incapacity and (iv) fatal injury leading to death of a worker.
An employee who has an occupational accident or disease while his/her employer has contributed for him/ her in Rwanda Social Security Board (2% of gross salary), he/she is entitled to compensation in accordance with the Laws governing social security in Rwanda. An employee not registered with the Rwanda Social Security Board, receives from the employer compensation equivalent to the social benefits he/she would have received from the Board if the employer had contributed for him/her, including medical and related expenses. An employee cannot be dismissed as a result of occupational accident unless a recognized doctor declares him/her unfit to resume service in the employment he/she held prior to the accident.
In case of permanent total incapacity/ disability, the benefit is 85% of a worker's average earnings in the 3 months before the disability began. 40% of the insured worker's pension is paid if the worker requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions.
In case of permanent partial disability (when the assessed degree of disability is 15% or above), the amount of compensation depends on the assessed degree of disability, and a percentage of the full pension is paid accordingly. For the assessed degree of disability of 1% to 14%, a lump-sum of a 3-year pension according to the degree of incapacity is paid.
In case of temporary disability, 75% of worker's average wages (in the 3 months before the disability began) are paid until full recovery or certification of permanent disability. Temporary disability benefit is paid for a maximum of 180 days.
In the case of fatal injury, dependents receive survivors' pension. 30% of a worker's average earnings is paid to a spouse (widow/widower), and 15% of a deceased worker's earnings is paid to each orphan under 18 years of age (the age limit is 25 years in case of a student, no age limit in case of a disabled). A full orphan receives 20% of the survivors' pension. Parents receive 10% of the pension. Total survivors' benefits cannot exceed 100% of a deceased worker's permanent disability pension.
If a worker passes away while still in service, the employer pays to the deceased employee’s family funeral expenses equal to the deceased worker’s gross monthly salary. The minimum amount of funeral expenses is two hundred thousand Rwandan francs (FRW 200,000). There is also a provision for a death allowance. The dependents of the deceased worker get a death allowance equivalent to three months ' salary.
Source: §19 of the Law regulating Labour in Rwanda, 2018 (No. 66/2018); Ministerial Order N° 009/19.20 of 17/03/2020 determining Funeral Expenses and Death Allowances for an Employee; ISSA Country profile for Rwanda