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25 Things you should know about the N.I.S

  • 1. The National Provident Fund (NPF) was the precursor to the National Insurance Services (NIS)

  • 2. The NIS is a statutory corporation that is governed by a 9-member board.

  • 3. The NIS is a full-fledged social security institution.

  • 4. The Honourable Camillo M. Gonsalves, is the Minister with the responsibility for social security.

  • 5. The current Chairman of the NIS Board is Mr. Lennox Bowman and the Director of the NIS is Mr. Stewart Haynes.

  • 6. Every new employer is required to register with the NIS within 7 days of employing the first employee.

  • 7. In the case of companies, employers should submit the memorandum of incorporation and articles of association.

  • 8. Currently, the total rate of NIS contributions is 10% (employee – 4.5% employer- 5.5%).

  • 9. The NIS contributions are due at the end of the current month.

  • 10. Late payments attract a 10% surcharge (first month late) and a 1% compound interest for every month thereafter.

  • 11. It is illegal for an employer to recover the employer’s part of the NIS contribution from the employee.

  • 12. NIS contribution is not payable for any full week during which an employee is receiving sickness or maternity benefit from the NIS. The employee receives a contribution credit from the NIS for that particular week.

  • 13. Employers can submit contributions electronically using eSubmit.

  • 14. All applications for registration as an employee must be accompanied by either a birth certificate, passport, national identification card and marriage certificate (if applicable).

  • 15. The benefits available to employees include: Sickness, Maternity, Age, Invalidity, Funeral, Survivors’ and Employment Injury.

  • 16. Self-employed persons are entitled to all the benefits except Employment Injury.

  • 17. Voluntary Contributors are entitled to Age, Survivors’ Pension and Funeral Grant.

  • 18. Overseas nationals can become members of the NIS through the Voluntary Contributors’ Programme.

  • 19. A claim for sick leave or employment injury must be submitted to the NIS within 15 and 10 days respectively from the date the person visited the doctor.

  • 20. A claim for maternity benefit should be submitted 6 weeks before the birth of the baby or 6 weeks after the birth of the baby.

  • 21. A claim for funeral grant must be submitted within 6 months of the death of the deceased insured person. In exceptional circumstances, one year is acceptable.

  • 22. A claim for funeral grant must be accompanied with the death certificate and a receipt from the funeral home.

  • 23. A funeral grant is paid on the death of:

    • an insured person or his/her spouse
    • invalidity pensioner or his/her spouse
    • age pensioner or his/her spouse
    • a non-contributory pensioner or his/her spouse
    • dependent child under age 18
    • dependent child under age 21 if attending school
    • an invalid dependent child

  • 24. The current NIS pensionable age is 63.

  • 25. All age, survivors’ and invalidity pensioners are required to submit the NIS Life Certificate twice per year (January and July).