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The Committee notes with regret that the Government's report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

Article 26, paragraph 1. In its previous comment the Committee pointed out that, under section 22, subsection 1 of Act No. 852 of 1989, sickness benefit is paid for a maximum of 52 weeks over a period of 18 calendar months, unless special circumstances justify a longer period, whereas under Article 26, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the grant of benefit may be limited to not less than 52 weeks in each case of incapacity. In its reply, the Government indicates that payment of benefit may be prolonged in the case where the sick person is considered likely to recover within 26 weeks or 2 x 26 weeks, according to the nature of the disease, from the date of expiry of the benefit period; persons who have ceased to be entitled to sickness benefit and who resume occupational employment for at least 13 weeks will be entitled to benefit without having to await the end of the 18-month period, if they satisfy the conditions for a prolongation. Please specify whether this rule applies also in case of a new disease causing a new period of incapacity before the end of the above-mentioned 18-month period.