PRESENTATION ON DIFFICULT TO COVER GROUPS Linda Allen March 2017 The British Virgin Islands consists of the main Islands of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada and Jost Van Dyke, along with over 50 other smaller islands and cays with a population of approximately 33,433.
SOCIAL SECURITY BOARD Established 1979 • Ages 15-65 years • Under 15 years and over 65 years • exempted . To protect workers from financial • distress Social Security Board has provisions to award the following benefits: SICKNESS MATERNITY EMPLOYMENT INJURY INVALIDITY AGE FUNERAL SURVIVORS
The Social Security Board is financed by weekly contributions payable by: � Employers � Employees � Self-employed and � Voluntary contributors. Contributions must be paid for each week or part of a week in which you worked . RATE OF CONTRIBUTION 8 ½% (Private Companies) Of the employee ’ ’ ’ ’ s insurable earnings Employees 4% Employers 4 ½%
RATE OF CONTRIBUTION Civil Servants 7 1/2% 7 1/2% 7 1/2% 7 1/2% Civil Servants 3 ½% Government 4% Civil Servants are not entitled to SICKNESS BENEFIT. RATE OF CONTRIBUTION Self-Employed 8 ½ % of insurable earnings Voluntary Contributors 7% of last complete year of earmings
Self Employed persons cannot pay contributions on earnings less than the minimum wage ($6/hr). If there is a need, the Director can request proof of income in order to determine what contribution shall be paid. Voluntary Contributors pay 7% and is calculated on the last completed year of insurable earnings. Insurable Earnings is the amount for which you are insured. There is a maximum ceiling on which contributions are deducted. The ceilings are as follows: $ 783.00 $ 783.00 $ 783.00 $ 783.00 Weekly Weekly Weekly Weekly $1, 566.00 $1, 566.00 $1, 566.00 $1, 566.00 Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly Fortnightly $1, 696.50 $1, 696.50 Semi Semi- -monthly monthly $1, 696.50 $1, 696.50 Semi Semi - - monthly monthly $3, 393.00 $3, 393.00 $3, 393.00 $3, 393.00 Monthly Monthly Monthly Monthly $40,716.00 $40,716.00 $40,716.00 $40,716.00 Annually Annually Annually Annually Insurable earnings increases each year Insurable earnings increases each year Insurable earnings increases each year Insurable earnings increases each year
19,000 plus registered Employees • 5955 Employers; and • 1,257 Self-employed persons • 150 Voluntary Contributors • Self Employed • Construction Workers • Domestic Workers Self-Employed claimed to have own insurance. Construction workers are sometimes not reported because they have arrangement with employer not to deduct.
Domestic workers and Fishermen are also hard to trace. No trade license is needed for Domestic Employers and the Fishing Industry With the implementation of NHI, persons are forced to register with Social Security in order to be covered for NHI. NHI has exposed a lot of unregistered employers and employees Amnesty is given whereby surcharge is waived. Payment arrangement
Employers are referred to Inspectorate Department for non-payment. Legal action is taken Certificate of goodstanding Self employed persons are covered for all benefits
Campaigns were done to reach the Self- employed persons • Workshops The establishment of social security in the Virgin Islands has been a benefit to the people of the Territory despite the challenges of defaulting employers NHI has made the process of targeting non-contributors easier.
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