EC $2Mil in unpaid Social Security dues hurts everyone, says director
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, ST KITTS - AN estimated 20 percent of businesses operating in St. Kitts & Nevis have some delinquency in their payments to the Social Security Fund and Elvin Bailey, Assistant Director of Social Security, has stated that this shortage of around EC $2 million is a detriment to all working people.
Though the methodology for arriving at the shortage in payments number was not made available, Bailey stated that any shortage in funds hurts the general public. “It means that that much money is not being made available for people’s pensions or sickness benefits.”
Bailey made it clear that it was the employer’s responsibility to make sure the requisite funds were being paid to Social Security. However, he added that employees must do their part to make sure the funds are being deposited and not simply withdrawn from paychecks.
“[You should] ask for a copy of your contribution summary at our Benefits Department. The summary will show your weeks worked each year, actual wages paid and the number of credits accumulated,” said the Director. ~~Adz:Right~~
While no specific names of offending employers could be obtained by SKNVibes, Bailey said that employees from all companies, large and small, should make themselves aware of their own personal situation. “The list of offenders is a mix really. There is no specific pattern for the types who are non-compliant, but after thirty years all employers in St. Kitts and Nevis should know better,” said Bailey.
The Director stated that although the arrears hurt the overall status of the system, they should not affect the benefits of any individual, even if that person’s employer did not make the appropriate weekly contributions to Social Security. “A person’s pension or sick benefits will not be affected as long as they have proof that they were employed by a company and were paying their dues,” he said.
Employers who do not pay the required benefits are subject to several different types of recourse. Bailey said that the first step taken by the Social Security Board is to begin a dialogue with that employer and attempt to set up a payment plan that will recompense the Social Security Fund for missed back payments.
If an attempt at dialogue fails, legal action may be pursued by the Social Security Board in which the employer could be fined, have assets seized or receive a sizable jail term.
