and Ms. Jaqueline Reid
The Anguilla Social Security Board will be launching Phase 2 of its Multi-Benefits Solutions Programme on Friday, February 17th. Whereas Phase 1 provided employers with the means to register, Phase 2 will enable employees to file for their benefits online and will allow them, among other things, to view their contributions history.
On the Talk Anguilla Rebranded radio programme on Wednesday, February 8th, Social Security’s Public Relations Officer, Ms. Rosanna Browne, as well as Manager of Contributions, Ms. Jaqueline Reid, and Manager of Benefits, Ms. Paulita Bryson, all met with the host Keith “Stone” Greaves to inform the public of the upcoming launch of Phase 2.
They also explained how essential it is for employees to make sure that their employers are submitting their payments, and that it is important for employers to file employees’ contributions on time.
According to Ms. Browne, Phase 2 will enable employees to view the payments of their checks online, as well, and so there will be no need to visit the office to make inquiries on the status of their check payments. They will be able to see it all online.
“It will enable the employees to view all benefit payments online. Income records will also be able to be viewed with our upcoming Phase 2,” she said.
“Besides, the employee will be able to view whether or not the employer is paying in his or her contributions to the Social Security Office.”
With regard to employers paying in employees’ contributions, Ms. Browne said: “Over the years we have been telling people that the onus is on them to make sure that their contributions are being paid when their employers deduct their contributions from their pay.
“There is no sense to wait until one files a claim and that claim is denied just because payments of contributions by the employer were not up-to-date.” With Phase 2, however, employees can be sure that their contribution payments are up to par.”
Ms. Browne mentioned that with the launching of Phase 1, employers were encouraged to register in the system, but that many employers are still not registered:
“All employers have not come on board as yet,” she said, “but we are encouraging them to register, and slowly but surely, they are coming in. We realize that some people are rather resistant to change. Many of the employers have welcomed the online Multi-Benefits Solution, but not everyone has embraced it as yet. We are working diligently with these employers to get them registered. All of us must work together – the employer, the employee and the Social Security office”
When asked how she intends to actually get employers to register, Ms. Brown said, “Well, we target them. We go out to the work sites and admonish them to register. Also, we have a desk on the outside of the office every Friday, where employers can drop by and register.
All three of the officers insisted that in the not too-distant future there will be a cut-off date, and all employees and employers would need to be registered in the system prior to that date in order to receive the required Social Security services.
Ms. Reid, in particular, spoke about the fact that even expat employers, who do not reside in Anguilla, are very pleased with the Multi-Benefits Solution system. “They are happy that they do not have to physically come to Anguilla to conduct their social security transactions. They can now file online and make their payments through our online banking system.
“Overall, we are happy with the direction in which Phase 1 has taken us,” she said, “and we look towards more enhancements with Phase 2.”
