Rule 22 — Qualification for claiming benefits.

22(1)

Subject to the provisions of the Code and the regulations, a person shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit for sickness occurring during any benefit period if the contributions in respect of him were payable for not less than seventy-eight days in the corresponding contribution period and shall be entitled to receive such benefit at the rate of seventy per cent. of the “Standard Benefit Rate” of that person during the corresponding contribution period rounded to the next higher rupee: Provided that in case of a person who becomes an employee within the meaning of Chapter IV of the Code for the first time and for whom a shorter contribution period of less than one hundred and fifty-six days is available, he shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit if the contribution in respect of him were payable for not less than half the number of days available for working in such contribution period: Provided further that in case of an Insured woman in receipt of maternity benefit or an Insured Person in receipt of temporary disablement benefit and owing to such fact, as the case may be, a shorter contribution period is available to her or him, she or he shall be qualified to claim sickness benefit in the corresponding benefit period if the contribution in her or his respect were payable for not less than half the number of days available for working in such shorter contribution period: Provided also that he shall not be entitled to the benefits for the first two days of sickness except in the case of a spell of sickness following, at an interval of not more than fifteen days, the spell of sickness for which sickness benefits were last paid: Provided also that sickness benefits shall not be paid to any person for more than ninety-one days in any two consecutive benefit periods.