Friday, March 29, 2024

Charge against NIS

Date:

Share post:

The National Insurance Scheme (NIS) is being accused of not furnishing several laid-off or severed employees of statutory corporations with their unemployment benefits.

The charge has come from general secretary of Unity Workers’ Union (UWU), Senator Caswell Franklyn, who said this was only causing more hardship to Barbadians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking during yesterday’s Down To Brass Tacks radio call-in programme on Starcom Network, he said under the National Insurance and Social Security (Amendment and Validation) Act, 2018, workers employed by any statutory board to which the Pensions Act CAP 25 applied, and any board specified in the schedule of the Statutory Board (Pension) Act CAP 384, were now entitled to receive unemployment or sickness benefits if they had been appointed.

“They were considered permanent workers and they would always get a salary with up to a year of sick leave, but without unemployment benefits because there was no likelihood you were going to be unemployed; you were a permanent worker. All of that changed when the Wynton Campbell case came up, and the Government refused to fix it and they are now exploiting some of the provisions there and sending home permanent workers, sometimes lay-off, sometimes dismissal,” he charged. (RA)

 

Subscribe now to our eNATION edition for the full story.

For the latest stories and breaking news updates download the Nationnews apps for iOS and Android.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related articles

No decision yet on Lester Vaughan School

A firm decision has not yet been made regarding when the Lester Vaughan School will be reopened. Following a...

BDF to conduct simulation exercise on April 2 & 3

The Barbados Defence Force (BDF) will conduct a Mass Casualty Simulation Exercise from Tuesday, April 2, to Wednesday,...

Barbadians reminded to file taxes online as filing season starts

The Barbados Revenue Authority (the BRA) is advising that tax filing season for 2023 begins on April 1 this...

Minister Abrahams’ statement on Ismail Patel’s passing

Below is the full statement by Minister of Home Affairs and Information, Wilfred Abrahams: I was saddened to...