Work risk insurers (ART) exceeded the mark of 10 million workers covered in May for the first time in their history, thanks to the increase in private employment that has been registered in the country in recent months, according to a report prepared by the Union of Labor Risk Insurers (UART).
Thus, in the fifth month of the year, 10,012,879 workers and 1,030,287 employers were covered, “as a result of the growth of private employment”highlighted the UART in a statement in which it also celebrated in advance the 26th anniversary of the occupational risk system, which will be celebrated on July 1.
Another of the milestones highlighted by the entity was the increase in the prevention of occupational accidents, after reaching 15,400 deaths avoided, with a drop of more than 78% with respect to the fatal accidents that were registered in 1997, the year of the creation of the system.
According to data from the Superintendence of Occupational Risks (SRT), In February 2022, 27% of covered workers worked in the Public Administration/Defence/Social Security.
Meanwhile, 12.5% belong to the Commerce category; 12.4% to Industry; 7.4% to Teaching; 5.3%, to Transportation; 5.1% to Administrative Activities and the remaining 30% to other types of activities.
Looking across jurisdictions, it was noted that 32.3% of coverage corresponds to workers in the province of Buenos Aires; 22.5% to the City of Buenos Aires; 6.4% to Santa Fe; 6.4% to Córdoba; 4.4% to Mendoza; and 28% to the rest of the provinces.
As a next objective, the UART highlighted that they intend to “advance with the inclusion of the self-employed and monotributistas”.
Covid coverage
The coverage of ART by Covid was also weighted, highlighting that “almost 527 thousand cases were treated until June 24, 2022 (latest data available).”
“The coverage of ART by COVID in Argentina was the longest in time, the most comprehensive in terms of workers reached and the most comprehensive by the type of medical and monetary benefits, according to the European Trade Union Federation”stressed the business chamber.
Among the challenges pending resolution, the association mentioned “the financing of the costs of coverage by Covid”; to “the chronic underpricing, with a rate in constant decline”; and the “high level of litigation”, with an increase in 2021 of 17% of the judicial mass compared to 2019 and the entry of 80,000 lawsuits.
As a balance, the UART expressed that “in these 26 years we can be proud of the consensus achieved between the government, companies, insurers and workers to preserve the System.”
