News

Employers are reminded that summer students between the ages of 14 years and 24 years, who are employed for an aggregate of 10 weeks, between the period June 1 and August 31, in any year, are exempted from paying National Insurance contributions from their earnings. The employer, however, is required to pay contributions of two percent (2%) of the students’insurable wages in respect of their summer earnings.

For the first time since the National Insurance programme started in 1974, the rate of contribution payments will be increased for employed persons. Beginning June 1, 2010, the rate will be increased by 1% – one half percent (.50%) to be paid by the employer, and one-half percent (.50) to be paid by the employee. This means that the current rate of 8.8%, shared 5.4% for employer and 3.4% for employee, will change to 9.8%, shared 5.9% for employer, and 3.9% for employee. This translates to a maximum weekly increase of $2 for the employer and $2 for the employee.

In February 2006, the National Insurance Board (NIB) began the initiative to have all long-term benefit and assistance payments deposited directly into pensioners’ bank accounts. Apart from the efficiency gained as a result of the direct deposit, NIB considered the initiative to be a significant step forward in ensuring that the actual process of paying pensions and assistance payments was more humane and individualized, as well as confidential.

The National Insurance Board and The Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association announced on Thursday that they are working together to successfully launch the National Prescription Drug Plan (NPDP) in August of this year.

The National Insurance Board and The Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association announced on Thursday that they are working together to successfully launch the National Prescription Drug Plan (NPDP) in August of this year.

Prime Minister the Right Honourable Hubert Ingraham this week approved the request from the National Insurance Board (NIB), to close out the interim phase and begin the next, permanent phase of the Unemployment Benefit with effect from June 1, 2010. His authorization is in accordance with the Unemployment Benefit Regulations which allow for the Minister with responsibility for National Insurance to advise on the effective date of the permanent phase of the approved program. This new phase will afford unemployed workers the same level of coverage and benefit provisions as the interim phase, but with different qualifying conditions, and a modest increase in contributions.