ISLAMABAD, Aug 27: The president on Tuesday introduced amendments in the Employees Old Age Benefits Act, which provide the “survivors” of an employee the same benefits which were earlier guaranteed to his “widow”.

The Ordinance, called Employees Old Age Benefits (Amendment) Ordinance 2002, provided that section 2 of the Act be amended to the effect that the word “widow” be substituted with word “survivors”.

The law further provides that in case an employer opted for self-assessment scheme, he shall be liable to pay a fixed amount of Rs150 in respect of every person in his insurable employment irrespective of his wages or emoluments, and the wages for the purpose of calculation of benefits shall be treated as Rs3,000 per month.

It says that the official shall not ordinarily demand the production of account books and other documents referred in clause (b) of sub-section (1) for more than two years and shall be bound to secrecy as regards all matters with which he becomes acquainted with in the performance of his duties and which did not relate to matters provided for in this act.

The law says that checking of the record, in case of those employers who have not opted for the Self-Assessment Scheme, shall only be done only in a year, with 15 days’ prior notice by an officer not below the rank of assistant director.

A newly-added provision provides that any employer might opt and apply for registration under the self-assessment scheme to the institution by declaring the number of employees and their required particulars on the prescribed form. The declaration so made shall be accepted without any question provided no demand of contribution, previously created, remains outstanding against such employer.

Any employer who is already registered under the normal pension scheme and opts for registration under the self- assessment scheme shall not decrease the total amount of contributions and number of insured persons already registered immediately prior to exercising his option for self-assessment scheme.

The employer shall ensure that the amount of contribution and number of registered insured workers declared by him shall not decrease during the period of two years of the self- assessment scheme.

The law says that the officials of the institution shall not enquire or inspect any establishment which has opted for the self-assessment scheme for a period of two years of self-assessment scheme from the date of submission of an application for ascertaining the amount of the contribution and the number of insured persons.

At the expiry of the two-year period, if the employer wishes to continue on the self-assessment scheme, one-time checking of the record shall be done by an officer not below the rank of a deputy director, and no question will be asked about the previous year.

The law amends section 21 of the Act, providing that the institution shall, at intervals of not more than three years, have actuarial valuation made in the prescribed manner of its assets and liabilities and no change in the rate of contribution or benefit under this Ordinance shall be made without proper actuarial valuation.

The law further provides that where the employee was insured under the provisions of this Act on or before June 30, 2002 and contribution payable under the Act by the employer prior to June 30, 2002, in respect the said insured person had not been paid, the insured person shall enjoy the rights under this Act as if for the word “payable” the word “paid” were not substituted.

It says that where the contribution under section 9B is paid regularly by the insured person himself, in accordance with prescribed procedure, his entitlement to the benefit shall not be affected by default of employer’s share of contribution.