What happens if employers don’t submit SSB contributions?
Opposition Leader Marlon Penn has questioned officials about the penalties for employers who fail to remit contributions for Social Security after it was deducted from their employees.
According to the 2022 Standing Finance Committee (SFC) report, Penn asked about the point at which the Social Security Board (SSB) would normally intervene in such situations.
Director of the Social Security Board, Jeanette Scatliffe–Boynes responded by explaining that after three months, the SSB usually issues a letter to the employer.
Scatliffe-Boynes told the SFC if the delinquency exceeds six months, the employer is directly contacted for follow-ups.
And according to the Director, SSB inspectors recently restarted visiting employers who are in default of this legislative provision.
She further explained that by engaging with the defaulters, the aim has been to discuss options and get commitments for the payment of instalments for companies that cannot afford the contributions.
Subsequent to this action, the Director related that the SSB realised a decrease in defaulted contributions.
Good standing certificates brought increase of millions
Meanwhile, Scatliffe-Boynes further explained that the Certificate of Good Standing initiative started by the government enabled the employees to confirm employers paid contributions ensuring employees could receive their benefits.
She said it served as a safeguard since employees’ contributions must be current in order to receive a good standing certificate.
The Director told the SFC that the SSB realised an increase of millions of dollars from employers to facilitate the process of work permit renewals.
She further related that the SSB employed an in-house legal counsel and increased the number of inspectors for SSB and NHI to aid in recovering monies from defaulters.
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
What happens???
Nothing if you are the right person.
Failure to turn in contributions is theft. Theft from the employee , theft from the government. It should be treated as such. Working with employers “because they can’t afford the contributions” is ludicrous. The contribution was taken from the employees pay and use elsewhere!! Time to clean out SSB management starting at the top. Total stupidity. Treat it as the theft that it is, with heavy fines and interest and things will change. BVI doesn’t have the guts to do what needs to be done to a lot of the “barn here” crowd.
You right.. thing is.. place so small.. everyone related or is best friend.. no professionalism here..
Ms boynes that is not true since august 2018 my husband social paid and up to a day like today it still haven’t paid so what letter u talking about
I second what you said. I know a lady who has worked in a daycare for 3 years. No SSB and NHI payments made but we have proof of all the deductions. The owner of the daycare is so confident in her connections that she will even raise the issue in meetings with the education department and ask them to assist with the back payments she owes to SSB, NHI and TAX…. She should have her trade license revoked and be charged for theft.
Collecting all these monnies and cant give age pensioners a decent increase what they currently getting is an insult to the seniors in these islands .Shame since rent increase and high coct of living .Its A Shame.
I remember that clip they bad on TV, ( AM very sorry to inform you but your employer has not been PAYING you social security ? now that says it all , who is suppose to control that ? and if the government knew , ? why is it still allowed to
going on for years ?
This is sad..NHI, Why are they calling me when they know the employer didn’t pay and they know who the employer is..Call the damcxn employer and stop harassing the employee. Because my employer took out NHI and didnt pay they put a stop on my NHI card how fair could that be…
let the former owner of the m M i pay the people NHI and social security. he playing big boss and owing . Big bosses dont Owe anyone
Patsy Lake on the Board is a good thing, she will make things happen, she will find solutions…Change will come..Patsy Lake is not the issue. The Ignorant Govt is the issue. I dont know why they dont follow the Law..
This is sad..NHI, Why are they calling me when they know the employer didn’t pay and they know who the employer is..Call the damcxn employer and stop harassing the employee. Because my employer took out NHI and didnt pay they put a stop on my NHI card how fair could that be…
Theft, theft theft! No action.
We waiting for the COI.
If owned by certain folk. Nothing.
They don’t renew the employees work permit or approve a new one and send him/her home then the employer has to nothing to worry about. For delinquent friends and family employers they turn a blind eye.
Lady stop it with the lies! What are you people doing about G* Construction, he owes not only you but NHI and inland revenue. In some cases prior to the 2 hurricanes – so I don’t want to hear the excuses of covid or otherwise. He can afford to pay, he brags about his properties and even said he is not afraid of the agencies/authorities and I believe him because today the issue with him still exist. Your calls are just for show because you do not enforce your own policies. It’s easy to just sit at your desk and make one or two calls and say you did something – I would really like to know when you did physically showed up. You guys know you have your list of untouchables while you continue to pressure the small and other businesses who may be legitimately struggling.
The elite surely have privileges – they are exempted from the normal practices meanwhile the employees are being unjustly victimized, loosing benefits and incurring unnecessary expenses as if they are the ones who have done wrong. Their records reflection are not a true statement of their contribution because their payslips show the deductions at each pay period. This has a serious ripple effect on ones benefits because in your books, they will always be in arrears and personally this needs to be fixed – the employer is at fault and should be subjected to all losses and penalties for this type of breach. Who is really looking out for these employees? We have already established who is looking out for their employers.
Further, in some instances when the employees come in to inquire on their status they are faced with more stress once determined who that employer is. They are either told the systems not currently working (to come back) or when working they are not allowed to provide the information or when you make enough noise, you will get something not official, but scribbled on a post it and then when they return to work are apprehended because someone from the agency informed him of the inquiry – utter BS is what this is.
It’s yet another system designed to frustrate those being victimized so they evenly are forced to change employer (which is another headache because by now we are all too familiar with the immigration/labor processes) or leave the BVI. Imagine putting in 20+ years for someone and you leave with nothing – no benefits, nothing but unwarranted stress.
Each time I hear or come across these subjects in this context, I get really annoyed. There’s too much loopholes in the government systems and they need to be sealed before these loose ships sink us. These agencies need to understand that when you continuously allow bad practices to flourish you will undoubtedly create a series of problem that cannot be simply dismissed – accountability and transparency are paramount. This is 2022 – Fit it!
well said, “Enough”, well said!