No heavy handed handling of delinquent employers – NIS
The National Insurance Services (NIS) is standing behind its policy of “reasoning” with employers who have failed to pay employee contributions to the Fund.
While stressing that it is considered a criminal offence to fail to pay deducted contributions to the NIS, Executive Director of the NIS Stewart Haynes said legal intervention was often a last resort usually reserved for unwilling employers.
“The first step is moral suasion because we believe in reasoning and try to understand the employer’s situation, try to educate him or her about social security and work with them in creating a payment plan”.
Haynes said it was in the best interest of the NIS and employees that the “business keep afloat” and as such they do not rush to initiate legal proceedings against employers.
However, if it is recognized that employers are intentionally delinquent, the legal team intervenes.
“If there is an unwillingness to pay then the matter is escalated to our legal department to apply legal remedies from garnishing of accounts, to engaging in debt proposals, to lien on the property, and to Magistrate court and High Court.”
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