Employee State Insurance Corporation or ESIC is a self-financing social security and health insurance scheme which provides medical benefit, sickness benefit, maternity benefit, disablement benefit and various other benefits such as funeral expenses, free supply of physical aids etc. to the employees and their family.
Units or Establishments that have 10 or more employees, drawing the wages of up to Rs.15,000 a month are required to be registered for ESIC under the ESI Act 1948. The benefits provided by the scheme are funded from the contributions raised from covered employees and their employers at the fixed percentage of wages. At present, covered employees contribute 1.75% of the wages to the ESIC and covered employers contribute 4.75% of the wages, payable to their employees. The state government also contribute 1/8th share cost of medical benefit.