SICKNESS BENEFIT

What is sickness benefit?

Sickness benefit is a benefit paid to an insured person who is absent from work because of a certified illness other than that caused by employment injury. However, sickness benefit is not payable to employees of Government and Statutory establishments, since they are not covered for this benefit.

Any Private Sector employee or self-employed person who is 16 years old or over and under 60 years old and satisfies the following conditions is entitled to sickness benefit.

Who is entitled to sickness benefit?

Any Private Sector employee or self-employed person who is 16 years old or over and under 60 years old and satisfies the following conditions is entitled to sickness benefit.

• The person must have been in employment the day before the illness began.
• The person must have paid not less than 26 weekly contributions into the scheme.
• The person must have worked at least eight weeks in the three calendar months immediately before the illness began.

When do I claim for sickness benefit?

Your claim for sickness benefit should be made within 21 days after your illness. Any claim made after this time may be disallowed by the Director.

Will I be paid for every day of my illness?

No. Sickness benefit is not payable for the first three days, neither for Sundays. If, however, you become sick within eight weeks of another illness, you would not lose the first three days.

How do I make a claim?

Ensure that the medical certificate you receive from your doctor is a Social Security Medical Certificate, and your doctor has filled out sections A & B. This medical certificate is also the application form. Your employer should complete section C, and you should carefully complete section D and sign it. The completed application form should be submitted promptly to the Social Security Office to avoid delay.

What is the maximum period for which I can receive sick benefit?

You can receive sickness benefit for a maximum of 39 weeks of continuous illness. Illnesses which are separated by eight or fewer weeks are considered continuous illness.

How much will I receive for sickness benefit?

You will receive 60% of your average insurable weekly earnings. ‘Average insurable weekly earnings’ means the total earnings for the three calendar months immediately before your illness, divided by the number of weeks worked.

Here is an example:

Three month’s salary:

Calculations

What happens if my illness continues after 39 weeks?

If your illness continues after 39 weeks, you may be entitled to invalidity benefit.

MATERNITY BENEFIT

What is maternity benefit?

Maternity benefit is a benefit payable to a woman who has given birth to a child. Maternity benefit can be either, an allowance, a grant, or both.

What is maternity allowance?

Maternity allowance is a weekly benefit payable to an insured woman who has given birth to a living child or to a dead child if the term of pregnancy was not less than 28 weeks.

For how long is maternity allowance paid?

Maternity allowance is paid for a maximum of 13 weeks, commencing as early as 6 weeks before confinement or as late as the week of confinement.

How is maternity allowance calculated?

Maternity allowance constitutes 60% of the insured person’s average insurable weekly earnings. The average insurable weekly earnings is calculated by totalling the earnings in the 52 weeks immediately preceding the 6-week period before the expected date of delivery. This figure is then divided by the number of weeks worked, which cannot be less than 26.

When and how is maternity allowance paid?

Maternity allowance is paid weekly. The cheque may be mailed to the claimant’s address, be collected at the Social Security Office, be paid to a bank account or be paid to a person whom the claimant has nominated.

Who is entitled to maternity grant?

Maternity grant is a one-time payment, payable to a woman if she or her husband has paid 26 weekly contributions since entering the scheme and has paid 26 weekly contributions in the year immediately before the confinement.

How should a claim for maternity benefit be made?

At the time of maternity leave, a three-part application form must be completed and submitted to the Social Security office. Section A of the form must be completed by a doctor or midwife who is registered in Antigua & Barbuda; Section B must be completed by the claimant; and Section C must be completed by the employer.

After confinement, a two-part Certificate of Confinement must be completed and signed by the doctor or nurse who assisted at confinement, as well as by the claimant, then submitted to the Social Security office.

In the case of a husband who is claiming maternity grant for his wife, only the Certificate of Confinement is required.

Application forms are available in the doctor’s office or at the Social Security Office.

Application for maternity benefit submitted twelve months or more after the date of confinement will be disallowed.

IMPORTANT

Maternity allowance is not payable for any period worked nor for Sundays. Sickness benefit is not payable for the period commencing six weeks before confinement. Hence, any sick leave granted during that period will be considered as part of the maternity allowance period.

A certificate of confinement, giving the exact date of confinement, must be submitted in order for continued payment of maternity allowance.

A written authorization is required if a cheque must be paid to or collected by someone else. Also, that person must present the social security card of the claimant when collecting the cheque.

INVALIDITY BENEFIT

What is invalidity benefit?

Invalidity benefit is a benefit payable to an insured person who has not reached the age of 60 years, and is unable to take part in any further employment because of illness that is likely to remain permanent. Invalidity benefit may be either a pension or a grant.

What is invalidity pension?

Invalidity pension is a monthly payment that is payable to an insured person who has paid contributions for at least three years before the invalidity began. There are three types of invalidity pensions:

1. Transitional pension requiring 156 or three years of contributions
2. Reduced pension requiring 350-499 contributions
3. Full pension requiring at least 500 contributions

What is invalidity grant?

Invalidity grant is a lump sum (one-time payment) payable to an insured person who does not satisfy any of the above conditions for a pension, but has paid at least 52 weeks or 12 months of contributions.

An invalidity grant is $1200 or 3/4 of the total contributions (employee and employer) paid into the scheme for the insured person, whichever is greater.

How much will I receive for my pension?

The amount you will receive for pension will depend on the number of years you have contributed to the scheme and your average annual insurable earnings.

The rate of pension is 25% of your annual earnings, plus 1% for each 50 contributions paid over 500 contributions. However, you will not receive more than 50% of your average annual Insurable earnings.

‘Average annual insurable earnings’ means the total earnings of the five best contribution years in the last 10 contribution years, before the year in which the invalidity began, divided by five. Where the number of years contributed is less than five, the average will be used over those years.

When do I claim invalidity benefit?

Once your doctor has declared that your illness is likely to prevent you from taking part in any further employment, ask your doctor for a medical report of your condition. Submit the report to the Social Security Office where you will apply for invalidity benefit. Social Security will then send you to another doctor for a second opinion.

How and when will I receive my benefit?

You will receive sickness benefit weekly or your invalidity pension monthly or invalidity grant at one time.

Your cheque may be mailed to your address, be collected at the Social Security Office, be paid to your bank account or be paid to a person whom you have nominated in writing.

If your cheque is to be paid to or collected by someone other than yourself, written authorization is required.

AGE BENEFIT

What is age benefit?

Age benefit is a benefit payable to an insured person who has reached the age of 60 years and has satisfied the required contribution conditions. Age benefit is either a pension or a grant.

What is age pension?

Age pension is a monthly cash benefit payable to an insured person until death.
There are three types of age pensions:
(1) Transitional pension requiring 156 contributions starting before 1975
(2) Reduced pension requiring 350-499 contributions
(3) Full pension requiring at least 500 contributions

What is age grant?

Age grant is a lump sum (one-time payment) payable to an insured person who does not satisfy the conditions for a pension, but has paid at least 26 contributions starting before 1975 or at least 52 contributions starting any time after 1974.

How is age pension calculated?

The amount paid for age pension depends on the insured person’s average annual
insurable earnings and the number of weekly contributions paid into the Scheme. The average annual insurable earnings is the total earnings of the 5 best contribution years in the last 10 contribution years, immediately before reaching age 60, divided by five. Where the number of years contributed is less than five, the average will be used over those years.

The rate of pension is 25% of the average annual insurable earnings for the first 500 contributions plus 1% for each 50 contributions thereafter up to a maximum of 50%. However, no pensioner shall receive less than $150.15 per month.

How is age grant calculated?

The amount paid for age grant is 75% of the total contributions (employee and employer) paid up to your 60th birthday or $1200 whichever is greater.

How should a claim for age benefit be made?

The claimant must report to the Social Security Office to be interviewed and to complete and sign the claim form. A Social Security card and a valid birth certificate or passport are required to complete the process.

How and when is age pension paid?

Cheques are paid monthly, and may be mailed to the pensioner’s home address, be collected at the Social Security Office, be paid into your bank account, or be paid to a person whom the pensioner has nominated.

IMPORTANT

Once a person has begun to receive age pension, a life certificate MUST be submitted in order to continue receiving the monthly payments. The life certificate must be signed by a Notary Public or by any person listed on the life certificate. It should be done twice a year — June and December — for pensioners living in Antigua & Barbuda and every quarter — March, June, September and December — for pensioners living overseas.

IMPORTANT

A written authorization is required if a pension cheque must be paid to or collected by someone other than the pensioner. The person to whom the cheque is paid must also present the pensioner’s social security card.

FUNERAL BENEFITS

What benefits are payable when an insured person dies?

When an insured person dies, the following benefits are payable, except where death is caused by occupational injury:

1. Funeral grant
2. Survivors’ benefit

FUNERAL GRANT

What is funeral grant?

Funeral grant is a lump sum of $2500 payable when an insured person dies, if one of the following conditions is satisfied.

1. The insured person had been receiving sickness or maternity benefit or would have been entitled to such benefit at the time of death;
2. The insured person had been receiving, had received or had satisfied the conditions of receiving invalidity or contributory age benefits
3. The insured person had paid at least 26 weekly contributions in the 12 months immediately before death.

Who is entitled to funeral grant?

Funeral grant is payable to the person who pays or will pay the cost of the funeral of the deceased insured person.

How do I make a claim for funeral grant?

You must present an original death certificate and the receipt or the bill for the cost of the funeral to the Social Security Office where you will fill out an application for funeral grant.

If you are unable to obtain the documents immediately, you should still complete the application form and submit the documents when they are available.

Is funeral grant payable where a deceased person had been receiving old age assistance?

Funeral grant is NOT payable to a person who had been receiving old age assistance unless that person had received or had title to an invalidity or age grant.

SURVIVORS’ BENEFIT

What is survivors’ benefit?

This is a benefit payable to certain family members of a deceased insured person who was receiving invalidity or age pension or would have been entitled to invalidity or age benefit at the time of death.

Survivors’ benefit is either a pension or a grant. A pension is payable monthly for a specific period or for life, if the deceased person had satisfied the conditions for an invalidity or age pension. A grant, which is a one-time payment, is payable if the deceased person would have been entitled to an invalidity or age grant.

Which survivors of the deceased may be entitled to payments?

Survivors of the deceased who may be entitled to payments are:

1. Widow
2. Invalid widower
3. Unmarried children under age 16 or under age 18 if going to school at time of death.

When does a widower or widow become entitled to survivor’s benefit?

A widower/widow shall receive survivor’s benefit as follows, except where the marriage took place after the insured person started receiving pension:

1. A widow who at the time of her husband’s death was fifty years or older and been married for not less than three years shall receive a pension for life or a grant.
2. A widow who was an invalid at the time of her husband’s death, regardless of her age, shall receive a pension until the invalidity ceases, or a grant.
3. All other widows shall receive one year’s pension.
4. Widower who was an invalid at the time of his wife’s death, had been married not less than three years and had been wholly or mainly supported by his wife before death, shall receive a survivor’s pension for so long as the invalidity continues, or a survivor’s grant.

How much is a widower’s/widow’s pension?

A widower’s/widow’s pension is 50% of the pension the deceased insured person was receiving or would have received. However, no widower/widow shall receive less than $150.15 per month.

How much is a child’s pension?

A child’s pension is 25% of the pension the deceased insured person was receiving or would have received; where the child is an orphan or an invalid, the amount is 40%. However, no child shall receive less than $50.05 per month.

How much is paid for survivors’ grant?

The survivors’ grant is the amount that the deceased person would have been entitled to for invalidity or age grant, I.e. 75% of the total contributions (employee and employer) paid up to the time of death, or $1200 which ever is greater. This amount is distributed on the same basis as the pension.

How does a survivor make a claim?

Applications must be made within one year of the death of the insured person. The death certificate must be presented to the Social Security Office where an application will be made for survivor’s benefit.

In addition, the widower/widow is required to submit the marriage certificate and his or her birth certificate to the Social Security Office. In the case of an invalid widower/widow, a medical certificate stating the disability is required as well.

When claiming for a child, the child’s birth certificate must be submitted. If the father is the deceased parent and his name is not on the certificate, proof of paternity (evidence that he was the child’s father) must be submitted. Also, a life certificate must be submitted when the claim is made.

When and how will I receive my pension?

Your survivor’s pension is payable monthly; your cheque may be mailed to your address, be collected at the Social Security Office, be paid to your bank account, or be paid to a person whom you have nominated.