What SOCSO covers
SOCSO does not pay after job loss, so here is which scheme does.
SOCSO is often confused with the scheme that helps after job loss. It is worth being clear about what it does and does not cover.
What it means
SOCSO, the Social Security Organisation scheme, protects you against workplace injury, occupational disease and long-term incapacity. It is funded by contributions made while you are employed.
It is not the scheme for losing your job. That role belongs to the Employment Insurance System, run by the same overall body, PERKESO.1
Why it matters to you
Workers sometimes assume SOCSO will step in after a dismissal or retrenchment. They then find that the support they need sits under a different scheme with its own application.
Knowing the right scheme early saves time. The Employment Insurance System claim has its own 60-day window from your termination date.
How is this different from EIS
If you have an injury or medical condition connected to your work, SOCSO is the scheme to look into. That is separate from any dismissal dispute.
If your job simply ended, read about EIS for the income support that applies, and PERKESO for the body that runs both.
For the fairness of the dismissal itself, check your separate window on the deadline calculator.
If a SOCSO matter came up alongside your dismissal and you are considering a claim, an independent employment lawyer can look at your facts. They can advise whether it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.
Common questions
Does SOCSO pay me if I am dismissed?
No. SOCSO is built around workplace injury and long-term incapacity, not job loss. Income support after losing a job sits under a separate scheme, the Employment Insurance System.
Are SOCSO and EIS contributions the same thing?
They are related but separate schemes, both run by the same body, PERKESO. Your payslip may show a contribution to each, not one combined deduction.
Sources
- The Employment Insurance System, a separate scheme administered by the same body as SOCSO, gives temporary financial help to employees who lose their jobs involuntarily, with a claim lodged within 60 days of termination. malaysia.gov.my, Employment Insurance Scheme (EIS)
Keep reading
If a SOCSO matter came up alongside your dismissal and you are considering a claim, an independent employment lawyer can look at your facts. They can advise whether it is worth pursuing.
For people seeking legal representation. For general information, please use our guides and tools.
First contact: general facts only, such as date, location, employment status and a short summary. Keep documents private until an identified independent lawyer contacts you and specifically requests them.