A social security card is given to an employee when he or she is hired.

Hon. Pickering making a point at the meeting held on February 8, 2012. Photo: VINO

“It is important for everyone to understand, that if you work and you have proof that monies were deducted from your salary for Social Security, when you are entitled to benefits then Social Security will pay you,” stated Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Hon. Kedrick Pickering at a labour meeting at the Catholic Community Centre on February 8, 2012.

He was at the time responding to a complaint made by a resident who bemoaned that some employers were guilty of deducting but not forking up the money for Social Security.

“They are cheating the system, they are cheating Inland Revenue. What measures Social Security and Labour Department can do to work tighter as a team to try and stop this illegal behaviour?” the resident asked.

Hon. Pickering replied, “Once you can prove your pay check shows that you working for John Brown, and he has been taking Social Security payments out of your cheques…Social Security has the authority to investigate that person. And if necessary bring them to court to collect and correct that situation. That’s in the law and that will be taken care of, but the important thing is this, as an employee you ought to have proof, you just can’t go word to mouth.”

The Labour Minister explained that there is an appeals’ tribunal within Social Security to tackle complaints made by employers and employees, and if the matter is very complex the Labour Department will intervene.

However, the resident revealed that many of the employees she knows don’t receive their pay stubs. According to her, many of them are expatriates and are afraid to come forward.

Against this backdrop, Hon. Pickering stated, “A Government cannot legislate immorality and unethical behavior…if you doing things that are illegal, the law will eventually catch up with you.”