| Part of our task at
Social Security is to explain to the public how the
system works. To do this, we often times engage persons
at their workplaces in open discussion. It is at such
meetings that we get the opportunity for one-on-one
and one-to-many conversations. Here are some of the
issues that often arise -- an employer is under no legal
obligation to pay an employee if and when that employee
goes on sick leave. If that employer does so, he/she
does so for the convenience of the employee, and has
a right to re-imbursement from the employee when s/he
collects the Social Security payment.
The idea is that a
sick and absent person has no entitlement to a wage
that is greater than 100%, greater than that which
a worker who is on the job obtains. Besides, by virtue
of having matched the employee portion of Social Security
contributions, that employer has already paid a premium
to cater for payments to you during periods of sickness,
and shouldn't have to pay twice. In fact, it is that
co-payment that amounts to the 65% wage replacement;
without which the employee would only qualify for
32.5% of his wage.
Besides, what if the
demands of the workplace require the employment of
a substitute? How will the employer be able to pay
both of you? For those persons with more than one
job, there is no point in claiming sickness benefit
on the same sickness on each employer. But you will
be paid on the combined salary of all the jobs. However,
you cannot be sick for the one and well for the other.
Furthermore, do not make an injury claim on one employer
and a sickness claim on the other. That, too, is improper
if a single parent insured person dies, whose parents
are already deceased and whose children are grown,
what happens to 'my money'?
Well if Social Security
were run that way - on a personal account system,
then we would have been bankrupt a long time ago!
Chile tried it and quickly changed back to a one-for-all
and all-for-one system like we have in St Kitts-Nevis.
It bears repeating though that death is not exactly
the end of our relationship. Death triggers the funeral
grant which, in some circumstances can be as high
as EC$4000.00. It also triggers three other possible
payments - a 'sideways' payment for the spouse (married
or live-in of at least 5 years), an 'upward' payment
to dependent parent, especially for parents who are
older than 62 years and have no pension of their own;
and a downward payment to children aged 16 or younger,
or up to age 18 if they are still attending school
in the Federation.
If that dependent
child is disabled, the survivor pension would be payable
for as long as the disability lasts. We always remind
our audience that the deceased have no further need
for money! The fact that there are about 500 million
senior citizens in the world means that death before
earning a pension is not a lottery to be won by the
lucky people of the Federation, but rather a blessing
to be enjoyed by all persons. True, some of us will
die before gaining pension age, but the evidence suggests
that most of us will not win the lotto and die early,
but will indeed survive to pensionable age.
Therefore, I urge
all of us to make our pension sure by paying our premiums
now. Early pension is possible under our system, but
under condition of invalidity or disability. I am
yet to meet the person who volunteers to become so
disabled or so 'invalidated' just to obtain an early
pension. But it has happened that some persons have
had to depend on this facility, and they all are thankful
that their Social Security has been there for them
in their time of need. The interesting thing here
is that in every case, these persons were unable to
complete their working years (16-62), but have been
paid nonetheless. That is where some of the funds
from contributors who die go to - to helping our brothers
and sisters. There, but for the grace of God….
It bears repeating
that all but three of our benefits (maternity grant,
funeral grant and assistance pension) are linked to
your reported wages. The more honest you are in reporting,
the more relevant will be your benefit. So many persons
base their lifestyle on the combined salaries from
two or more jobs, but only report on one. When these
persons claim a benefit, and it is based on the one
salary, they often times become abusive to us, not
realizing that they are self abusers. Remember too
that if you are unable to work at one of your jobs,
then you should not be at the other one(s). That is
fraud; and Social Security has legal authority to
prosecute fraudsters.
Despite the fact that
benefits are wage linked however, our minimum benefit
is always adjusted upwards to take into account inflation.
Thus, our minimum earned pension is at EC$400.00,
and child survivor pension is EC$96.00. Were it not
for these adjustments, they would have been a lot
lower. There are those who have never had cause to
make a claim on Social Security. They should give
thanks to the Higher Authority. Then there are those
who state that they have never benefitted from the
Institution.
We disagree. Not after
34 years of operation; not after all those donations;
not after all those loans for national development,
not after supporting the Development Bank, Foundation
for National Development, the Credit Unions, FinCo
and all the Banks the way that we have done. Our constant
appeal bears repeating also. Comply or be denied.
Last year, persons who had complied were rewarded
with payments of over $40 million. Are you securing
yours?
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