Got TIPS or BREAKING NEWS? Please call 1-284-442-8000 direct/can also WhatsApp same number or Email ALL news to:newsvino@outlook.com;                               ads call 1-284-440-6666

‘Lack of salary information’ hindering COVID-19 benefits to some – Hon Wheatley

- said employers still deducting contributions without remitting to respective boards
Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has called out employers for continually deducting contributions from their employee salary, yet, not paying it over to the respective boards. Photo: VINO/File
Due to a lack of salary information, Social Security Board (SSB) staff has had to work tirelessly trying to secure the salary information from defaulting employers, including working late into the night and weekends to process the over 6,000 unemployment/underemployment and regular claims, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley has said. Photo: VINO/File
Due to a lack of salary information, Social Security Board (SSB) staff has had to work tirelessly trying to secure the salary information from defaulting employers, including working late into the night and weekends to process the over 6,000 unemployment/underemployment and regular claims, Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley has said. Photo: VINO/File
DUFF’S BOTTOM, Tortola, VI – Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9) has called out employers for continually deducting contributions from their employee salary, yet, not paying it over to the respective boards.

The Minister speaking at the Tuesday, September 22, House of Assembly (HoA) sitting said the lack of salary information has hampered many from receiving COVID-19 unemployment benefits.

No salary information for some employees

“Mr Speaker, I acknowledge that there are persons yet to receive a benefit, but, sir, this is not due to the lack of effort on behalf of Social Security Board (SSB). It is mainly due to the lack of salary information from employers.”

According to Hon Wheatley, employers who continue to deduct monies from their employees and do not remit the contributions to the Board are also in violation of the Labour Code by not giving their employees pay-slips.

“Thus, this lack of information has led to the inability of the Social Security Board to calculate and pay benefits,” he said.

$4.3M in benefits paid – Hon Wheatley

As of September 17, 2020, Hon Wheatley said 3,457 persons have been paid some $4,366,488.03 in unemployment benefits, with 2,117 claims denied and 2072 in new outstanding claims.

The Minister said that as a result of the lack of information, SSB staff has had to work tirelessly trying to secure the salary information from defaulting employers, including working late into the night and weekends to process the over 6,000 unemployment/underemployment and regular claims.

14 Responses to “‘Lack of salary information’ hindering COVID-19 benefits to some – Hon Wheatley ”

  • Too. Long for not much (24/09/2020, 10:08) Like (10) Dislike (7) Reply
    This have been too long. Give this money to the people. Dont worried about status or nothing just give it. People need money and suffer the covid 19 pandemic. Just give the money and thats it. So if you not qualify them what you do with the money. Tell me . Give the f..... money people need it. Give it to your own people. To drink or for smoke..for what they want and thats it. Is not your money.
  • Ghost (24/09/2020, 10:22) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    And this is why Hon. Minister the attempted “Penalization” of said workers was wrong in the first place..Wrong on all fronts by employers.. Should have been investigated as to why these monies were not remitted..Businesses can have it hard but monies should still be remitted on behalf of its employees..
  • HMMM (24/09/2020, 10:24) Like (3) Dislike (3) Reply
    BULL
    • care (24/09/2020, 21:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Bull is riGHT MY HUSBAND EMPLOYER SIGNED EVERYTHINK HE SUBMITTED ALL THE PAPWRS T SSC ONE PERSON ON HIS JOB GOT A CALL UP TO NOW NOTHING FOT THE OTHERS AND I KNOW FOR SURE HIS CONTRIBUTIONS ARE BEING PAID IN.
  • Lucifer (24/09/2020, 10:58) Like (16) Dislike (0) Reply
    What use is calling out the employers if the Government are unwilling to take any real action. The minister is in charge of labour. He has powers to rectify the situation if he wishes. That the Government is unable (or unwilling) to take action against the employers should not be a problem for the employees to suffer for during these difficult times.
  • Agree 100%.. (24/09/2020, 11:46) Like (6) Dislike (25) Reply
    Pkus they making all kind of reasons ro send nationals and belongs home and have work permit people working,,. These Employers think they Smart...Then again, Labour aint serious, the employers are doing what labour allow them to do.... These Cocasions can do what they want, the law aint for them...
  • Mr. Minister (24/09/2020, 12:45) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    My employers provide everything needed that is why some of my co workers are receiving it. But myself and another co worker bkth of us are mothers are not getting anything. We have children but yet we are not receiving anything. Our employers ought to provide the information because if they didnt my other locals coworkers would not have been receiving their.
  • fast track (24/09/2020, 13:27) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Honorable Wheatley - you love a fast track. Why not start a fast track where employees with PROOF that this has happened to them can submit their necessary forms and the employers are then held immediately accountable for their actions. Name and shame them. This is criminal.
  • flUffy (24/09/2020, 14:00) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    But isn't it law ...that PAY SLIPS should be provided BEFORE PAYCHECKS????
  • GG (24/09/2020, 14:54) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why is it that NHI is unable to recover payment for deductions from employers who are delinquent
  • RedStorm (24/09/2020, 16:21) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    I do not see why this is making a headline.Due to the inabilities of the SSB Collectors, the taxes were not collected. Each SS Collector should have a list of the amount of person working for a company, a checklist each month should state who are outstanding for their employees, whether it is five pserson and one is missing tax a follow up telephone call should help the SSB Collector to document comments and follow up on a later date. If for six month there is no payment then it should agreed a payment plan is put in place. These discussions take place on a monthly basis so all involved ( minister, Director, assistant director, collector and whoever else is involved) should know what is going on. A simple spreadsheet showing the outstanding per month and how it would affect the country, employees and employers. At no point in time no SSB collector should ask an employee about how they intent to pay the taxes. This government and previous administration is lacking the ability to curb this problem. I ask Why?, why the employees should suffer because the employer did not pay but take it out their salary.

    if government refuse to deal with it. Then this is a matter for the judicial system.At no point should the employee suffer. Let this end now! Do something about this , get your association to advocate on your part, call your foreign minister to get involved. Now because of Covid 19 , most person are aware of some devious employers attitude towards the taxes. Help the people!
  • please (24/09/2020, 19:17) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    help me to understand why are the employees being victimized because the employers take the deductions and don't pay them in. That is stealing. Are they being rewarded for stealing. I don't get it help me understand.
  • please (25/09/2020, 07:02) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
    Oh PLEASE!!! STFU, u sound so stupid talk n about job information wasn't presented & it hinder people from get n they stimulus. What about the people who presented the rightful information DID THEY GET THEIRS!!!!
    This is wayyy 2 long now y'all just find every silly stupid @$$ reason 2 prolong while the bills continue pile n up. ITS OUR MONIES WE PUT IT THERE !!!!
    WE NEED 2 STAND UP PROTEST GIVE US OUR STIMULUS!
  • BA (26/09/2020, 05:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Why i cant get mine and other employees of the same company alrrady got theirs the minister only talking bull


Create a comment


Submit comment

Create a comment

Submit comment
Disclaimer: Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) welcomes your thoughts, feedback, views, bloggs and opinions. However, by posting a blogg you are agreeing to post comments or bloggs that are relevant to the topic, and that are not defamatory, liable, obscene, racist, abusive, sexist, anti-Semitic, threatening, hateful or an invasion of privacy. Violators may be excluded permanently from making contributions. Please view our declaimer above this article. We thank you in advance for complying with VINO's policy.

Follow Us On

Disclaimer: All comments posted on Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) are the sole views and opinions of the commentators and or bloggers and do not in anyway represent the views and opinions of the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of Virgin Islands News Online and its parent company.