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Legal action will be taken against chronic delinquent employers, NHI warns

The building that houses the NHI offices

Management of the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme is threatening to take legal action against employers who have not been paying their monthly contributions to the scheme.

The NHI gave the notice while making specific note of employers they describe as ‘chronic defaulters’.

Chronic defaulters are employers who might have paid outstanding contributions but later allowed another large balance to accumulate again.

While noting that the NHI is currently drafting letters to delinquent employers, head of the scheme’s compliance team Susan Daly said: “NHI contributions are mandatory by law and are due within the first 14 days of the end of each month. The legislation empowers NHI to seek legal advice and take the necessary legal action for those chronic defaulters”.

Under the law, employers are required to pay 7.5 percent of each workers’ salary over to the NHI.

Half of that amount comes from the employee’s pay, and the employer is required to pay the other half (3.75 percent).

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26 Comments

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  1. You all says:

    taking too long to print cheques. That’s delinquent.

    Like 12
    Dislike 2
    • Scheme? says:

      Isn’t a scheme a plot or devious plan to do something illegal. Maybe the writer is correct. The NHI might just be a scheme!!

      Like 4
      Dislike 2
      • Bruce says:

        Forcing people to pay for EVERYONE’S healthcare is a scheme. And, it will only get more expensive. Health insurance should be a personal choice. Made with a private company. That can provide the type of insurance that pays for an individual’s PERSONAL healthcare. This is is a scheme. And it doesn’t work. Look a child in the bvi is not receiving the financial support from the nhi for cancer treatment. Government is stealing from hard working bvi residents.

        Like 5
        Dislike 4
  2. Politico Nuevo says:

    Delinquent employers are starving the NHI of vital funding needed to deliver critical medical services to its customers. Further, deducting contribution from employees wages and matching it and failing to submit payment to NHI is a major disservice to the employees. It is not keeping faith with and taking care of employees, the resource that makes thing happen. Collecting and not submitting social security contributions to social security is also not keeping faith with and taking care of employees. It is at best dishonest. To me, it look to me as if employees are being used a funding source for businesses. Agree or disagree with NHI and social security programmes, they are the law so pay up and on time. Put the delinquents on wall of shame, if they continue the de….s behaviour.

    Also Government working contractors and not paying them for months or years is also using contractors to fund government operations.

    Like 17
  3. Tolian. says:

    When is this actually going to happen? We keep hearing this in the news about delinquent employers not paying in tax, SS and NHI…….it is a slap in the face for business owners whom make their contributions in a timely manner to keep seeing statements like this in the news but it never gets followed through. Taking deductions from employees but not paying it in is theft…pure and simple. We know there are lots of delinquent employers.Every business should be required to produce certificates of good standing from tax, SS and NHI when they renew their Trade license in January every year otherwise their license should not be renewed and their business operations suspended. Sort it out. Its not rocket science.

    Like 25
    Dislike 1
    • Agreed says:

      If you are taking the money from the employees and not paying it in to N.H.I. or S.S. then you are stealing pure and simple.

      God forbid that same employee has to seek emergency care and sick leave only to be told that they have to pay the full medical bill and not receive Social Security benefits because payments aren’t up to date.

      Like 16
      Dislike 1
      • Local says:

        It have ppl in lobour plus other government establishment n they own a business n taking monies from person they sponsor monthly. Till they getting more money than labour at the end of it

    • 100% Correct says:

      GOOD STANDINGS are needed in the BVI especially in Pivotal Areas. In other countries if your not up to par with payments or breaking the law…..You are Fined or shut down!!! Makes me think if we are really serious about anything. ?

    • Albion says:

      I hear big talk, but I’ll be very surprised if we see any action. Let’s see if I’m wrong.

      Like 2
      Dislike 1
  4. What!!! says:

    Stop talking about it and do it !!!!!!!

    Like 18
    Dislike 1
  5. Concerned Victim says:

    After 3 consecutive months of delinquency regarding SSB contributions, Tax and NHI, Employers must be required to Have a sit down with these Institutions to discuss their case, by the 6th Month if an agreement in not had and payments commenced, the SSB or NHI or Tax Authority must paste their Names at the Round About on a public Bill Board and also have them listed on respective collecting Institution’s website as delinquent.
    These employers will be marked as undesirable employers as a result.
    Based on this hard stance Policy, the respective collecting institutions will show that they are not complicit with delinquent employers in defrauding their employees.
    I guarantee that within a 5 year period, the problem of employers delinquency in the BVI would be a thing of the past.

  6. stupes says:

    for Christ sake!!! NHI needs to GO!

    Like 1
    Dislike 8
  7. unfortunately says:

    it should be employer. they are the one taking our the employee money for NHI,SS and Tax and not paying it.

    Like 4
    Dislike 1
  8. enforcer says:

    There are reports of employees (especially in the construction field) who work and get paid straight cash with no payslip. Money deducted and they can’t ask any question and have no proof to make a report or complaint. This is wrong and we need to stop taking advantage of people with the threat of putting immigration on them. Just wrong

    Like 6
    Dislike 1
    • Ture says:

      You are very accurate with your statement. On the other hand most of these folks don’t know the importance of paying into the system . They only thinking short term. However it will come back to bite them as the get older.

  9. Let's See says:

    One of the biggest delinquents just got elected and is now a minister. Let’s see if they go after him and if he’s healthy enough for these social developments.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Why did you allow them to get away with it for so long? After the first month you should have call them. Why wait until they owe so much

  11. Sistah Alda says:

    Using “delinquent” as a crotch. Enoice the darn regulatons everyou day.

    Like 1
    Dislike 3
  12. Just Ice says:

    NHI just a get rich quick scheme for H.V.P and he set of NDP doctor buddies….doctor visit nearly double in price all test prices nearly double: they crushing the country with a theft tax masquerading as social service…Meanwhile what happen to our money DOCTOR SMITH (coincidence??) borrowed from the Social security?

    Like 3
    Dislike 1
  13. Doctor DoLittle says:

    Towards the end of 2016, the Social Security deputy director took to the airwaves and said that there were over a thousand employers owing the NHI (which had just started in January). She didn’t know the exact number if persons owing and she did not know the actual amount owed to NHI.
    I wonder what the status is now after three years and a few months? Do they know who these delinquent employers are so they can indeed take legal action?
    I think that the new government should make it a priority of looking into the NHI operations. I believe that if they do they will find that some people’s suspicions are correct, that this is a bankrupt institution.

  14. Local says:

    You all need to link nhi and ss contribution towards labour….labour should not issue persons work permit and there nhi n ss contrubution not up to date..theres many expacts living n working in the bvi not under their employee who sign their permit…so their name not registers in either of the both that they are to be contributing to..look into this government…person here 3 plus years n never pay either of

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