Companies fear ruling opens door to lifelong disability claims

SA companies are fearful that a recent decision by an independent tribunal might lead to a rush of claims for lifelong compensation for disability against pension funds. In a landmark decision, the Pension Funds Adjudicator recently ruled that an employee injured at work was entitled to compensation for the rest of his life from the Unilever SA Pension Fund. A Business Day report interprets the decision to mean that in future people who are suffering from severe ill-health could have a claim against their pension fund, despite being offered alternative employment by their employer.

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