Under the Maritime Labour Convention 2006 (‘MLC’):
- A seafarer has the right to some social security protection from the country where they are ordinarily resident. It should be no less favourable than that enjoyed by shore workers resident in the territory.
- A seafarer’s country that has ratified the MLC must choose at least three types of social security protection from this list:
- medical care;
- sickness benefit;
- unemployment benefit;
- old age benefit;
- employment injury benefit;
- family benefit;
- maternity benefit;
- invalidity benefit; and
- survivors benefit.
- Social security schemes can take many forms. In some schemes, the seafarer may have to pay into the scheme.
- A country that has ratified the MLC must take steps, according to its national circumstances, to widen social security protection so that all the types of social security protection listed in the MLC are eventually covered.
- There has to be a dispute settlement procedure to deal with disagreements over social security provisions.
See Regulation 4.5 of the MLC.
For more information
See the ILO Frequently Asked Questions (section C5.2) at http://www.ilo.org/global/standards/maritime-labour-convention/what-it-does/faq/WCMS_177371/lang–en/index.htm
July 2014
