First law: 1970 (provident fund).
Current law: 1975.
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 2.70 East Caribbean (E.C.) dollars.
Employed and self-employed persons and apprentices aged 14-60.
Insured person: 3% of earnings; self-employed, 7%.
Employer: 7% of payroll.
Government: None.
Maximum earnings for contribution purposes: EC $60,000 per year.
Old-age pension: Age 60 and at least 300 weeks of contributions paid or credited (with at least 150 actually paid).
Disability pension: Under pensionable age, with 150 weeks of contributions paid or credited.
Survivor pension: Fully insured or pensioner at death, married at least 3 years.
Old-age pension: 30% of average earnings in 3 best years of last 10, plus 2% for every 50 weeks of contributions between 500 and 750, and 1% for every 50 weeks of contributions over 750.
Maximum, 70% of earnings.
Delayed retirement: Increase of 6% of the regular pension for every full year of postponement.
Old-age grant: Lump sum of 3 times average weekly covered earnings for every 50 weeks of contributions paid or credited, if age 60 but ineligible for pension.
Disability pension: Same as old-age pension.
Disability grant: Same as old-age grant.
Survivor pension: 50% of pension of insured, payable at age 50 to widow or widower. If married less than 3 years or under age 50, widow or widower receives survivor pension for one year or as long as caring for children.
Orphans: 1/4 of pension of insured (1/3 if full orphan or disabled), payable to dependent children under age 16 (18 if full-time student).
Minimum benefit: EC$50 per month.
Maximum survivor pension: 100% of pension of insured.
Survivor grant: Same as old-age grant.
Funeral grant: EC$1,800.
Ministry of Health and Social Security, general supervision.
Social Security Board, administration of program.
First and current law: 1975.
Type of program: Social insurance system for cash benefits.
Employed persons and apprentices aged 14-60.
Insured person: See pension contribution above.
Employer: Same.
Government: None.
Cash sickness benefits: In current employment for the 13 weeks immediately preceding illness, with 8 of the 13 weeks contributions actually paid.
Cash maternity benefits: 30 weeks of contributions, with at least 20 in the 30 weeks prior to 6 weeks before confinement.
Cash maternity grant: Insured woman or non-insured spouse of worker, with at least 26 weeks of contributions paid in the last year.
Sickness benefit: 60% of average weekly earnings during last 13 weeks, payable on the first day of illness, provided that the illness lasts beyond four days. Paid for up to 26 weeks.
Maternity benefit: 60% of average weekly earnings during last 30 weeks, payable 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after confinement (may be as late as 3 weeks before to 9 weeks after).
Maternity grant: EC$500.
Medical benefits: Reduction on medical bills subject to Government stipulated cost and conditions for service.
Ministry of Health and Social Security, general supervision.
Social Security Board, administration of program.
First law: 1975.
Current law: 1985.
Type of program: Employer liability/compulsory insurance with private carrier.
Employed persons and apprentices aged 14-60.
Insured person: None.
Employer: Whole cost, through direct provision of benefits or insurance premiums.
Government: None.
Work-injury benefits: No minimum qualifying period.
Disability must last at least 3 days.
Temporary disability benefit: 60% of average earnings in last 13 weeks for an adult; 66-2/3% of average earnings for a child (under age 17), until disability ends. If less than 13 weeks, the average for those weeks, with at least 2 weeks as the divisor.
Permanent disability benefit: Same as temporary disability.
Partial disability benefit: Percentage of permanent benefit proportional to degree of disability, lump sum if more than 1% and less than 30% disabled.
Medical benefits: Same as medical benefits under sickness for local cases, overseas cases subject to EC$5,000 maximum.
Survivor benefit: Same as survivor pension above.
Funeral grant: EC$1,800; for death of spouse, EC$1,500 and for death of dependent child under age 16 between EC$750.
Ministry of Health and Social Security, general supervision.
Social Security Board, administration of program.