EMPLOYEES
Any person who works for an employer, should be registered with Social Security and regarded as an Insured Person.
Benefits Employees Qualify For
It is of interest to note that while the total Social Security contributions payable 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). Meanwhile, the Short-term Benefits he may qualify for are paid at the rate of 60% of his AWIE.
The benefits provided are divided into three categories as follows:
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.
A qualifying claimant is paid a maximum of 60% of his average income during the period that he is 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. Short-Term Benefits being paid by DSS are as follows:
- Sickness Benefit
- Maternity Allowance
- Maternity Grant
Employment Injury Benefits:
Employment Injury and its related benefits are payable as a direct consequence of an occupational hazard whereby an Insured Person is rendered incapable of work. The benefits being paid under the Employment Injury Branch are as follows:
- Employment Injury Benefit
- Medical Expenses
- Disablement Benefit
- Death Benefit
Long-term Benefits are benefits paid for an extended period and, once payable, in most cases are generally paid for the rest of the pensioner’s life. The quantum of benefit payable is a function of the number of Contributions (or Credits) which an insured person has recorded against his account, and his average earnings for the best 10 of the last 15 years prior to his date of eligibility. Having determined the Claimant’s Average Annual Insurable earnings (AAIE), the Claimant is usually paid a percentage of such Average Insurable Earnings. The percentage payable depends on the number of Credits which the person had accumulated during his working life up to the date of entitlement. (Please see the Pension Percentage Computation Chart for the percentage equivalency.)
The Long-term benefits being paid by DSS are as follows:
- Age Benefit
- Invalidity Benefit
- Survivors Benefit
In addition, a lump sum Funeral Grant is provided to assist with the burial expenses of an Insured Person, his or her spouse, and/or dependent children. The Grant is payable to the person(s) who has met, or is liable to meet, the burial expenses.
A Medical Referee is a medical practitioner (or a group of medical practitioners) appointed to independently evaluate the medical condition of a claimant for Invalidity or Disablement Benefit who has been referred to him for evaluation by the Dominica Social Security.
Dependent Children are all the biological children, stepchildren, or legally adopted children of a deceased Insured Person who, at the date of the parent’s death, was below the age of 21, at school, unemployed and unmarried, and was living with, or wholly or mainly maintained by the deceased.
A Certificate of Life form is a certificate attesting to the fact that the Pension recipient is alive and in receipt of his pension. The form must be signed by the pensioner in the presence of a witness who must be one of the following persons: Justice of the Peace; Notary Public; Lawyer; Police Officer (Sergeant or above); Ordained Minister of Religion; Doctor; Family Nurse Practitioner; School Principal; Licensed Surveyor; Banker or Credit Union senior Personnel; Social Security Officer. For benefit recipients residing overseas, the Certificate of Life form must be notarized.
Pensioners residing overseas can also have their Certificate of Life forms renewed by contacting the DSS Office via WhatsApp Video Call to +1767 275 2600. The DSS Registration Card or other valid form of ID is required to complete the process.
For information on how to make a claim, click here.