Delinquent Employers Targeted in Drive to Collect Outstanding NIF Contributions

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security will be targeting delinquent employers as it works to collect outstanding contributions owed to the National Insurance Fund (NIF).
“If necessary, legal proceedings will be instituted against delinquent employers to recover what is due to the fund. A revision of the fines and penalties will also be recommended to Cabinet,” said State Minister, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, during his recent contribution to the 2009/10 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.
He urged all workers, those in the formal sector, as well as informal business operators such as hairdressers, barbers, vendors, and farmers, to register and contribute to the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) to ensure that they will have a pension when they retire.
“There are certain professional groups, as well as persons operating as consultants and contractors who have not been contributing as required under the law. They may not see the need now, but we have living examples of many professionals who neglected to contribute and are now destitute and without a pension,” Mr. Gallimore said.
It is against this background that the Ministry will be embarking on a public education campaign to sensitise all Jamaicans about the importance of contributing to the NIS. “As a country, we cannot leave our citizens to chance. We must begin a conversation around savings and proper planning for the future,” Mr. Gallimore said.
There are currently 450,000 persons contributing to the NIS, representing about one third of eligible contributors to the scheme. There are some 90,000 beneficiaries, but there is a $3 billion shortfall between income and expenditure.