BENEFITS

Benefits Paid Under The Program

It is of interest to note that, while the total Social Security contributions paid on behalf of an employee is 14.25% of his Average Weekly Insurable Earnings (AWIE), the minimum pension which he may qualify for is 30% of his Average Annual Insurable Earnings (AAIE). Additionally, the Short-term benefits he may qualify for is paid at the rate of 60% of his AWIE. 

Short Term Benefits


Sickness Benefit
Maternity Allowance
Maternity Grant

Employment Injury Related Benefits


Employment Injury Benefit
Medical Expenses
Disablement Benefits
Death Benefit

Long Term Benefits


Age Benefits
Invalidity Benefits
Survivors Benefits
Funeral Grant

Short-term Benefits

These are benefits that are generally payable for a short duration of time (not exceeding 26 weeks, 6 months or 156 days in the case of Sickness Benefit and 12 weeks, 3 months or 72 days in the case of Maternity Benefit), and are meant to partially replace employment income lost as a result of temporary absence from work. Qualifying claimants are paid a maximum 60% of their average insurable earnings during the period of time that they are medically certified to be incapable of work. A person in receipt of Short-term benefit is responsible for informing the DSS office if there is any change of circumstances affecting his continued rights to such benefit.

  • Sickness Benefit
  • Maternity Allowance
  • Maternity Grant

Employment Injury Related Benefits

Employment Injury and its related benefits are payable as a direct consequence of an occupational hazard whereby the Insured Person is rendered incapable of work. In order to qualify for these benefits, the injury sustained must have occurred out of and in the course of employment.

Long-term Benefits

Long-term Benefits are generally payable for a longer duration of time than Short-term Benefits which are payable for a maximum period of 26 weeks. The quantum of benefit payable is a function of the number of Contributions (or Credits) which a person has recorded against his account, and his average insurable earnings for the best 10 of the last 15 years of contributions prior to his date of eligibility. Having determined the Claimant’s Average earnings, the Claimant is usually paid a percentage of that Average Earnings. The percentage payable depends on the number of Credits which the person had accumulated during his insurable years. Please see the Pension Percentage Computation Chart for the percentage equivalency.

The Long-term benefits being paid by DSS are as follows:

  • Age Pension
  • Age Grant
  • Invalidity Pension
  • Invalidity Grant
  • Survivors’ Pension
  • Survivors’ Grant
  • Funeral Grant

Grounds for Disqualification of Benefits

An Insured person claiming or entitled to Sickness, Maternity, Employment Injury, Disablement or Invalidity benefit shall be disqualified for receiving benefit if he or she:

  • Refuses the request of the Director to submit himself to a medical examination
  • Behaves in any manner calculated to retard his recovery
  • Is absent from his place of residence without leaving word where he may be found
  • Undertakes work for which remuneration is, or would ordinarily be payable
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