In Belize, Social Security Board was established on June 1, 1981 under the Social Security Act, Chapter 55 of the Laws of Belize to provide fair and sustainable social insurance to workers.

Social Security is Social Insurance that replaces part of your income from work when you become sick, pregnant or disabled. It also replaces part of your income when you retire or die leaving survivors. It provides social insurance for you and your family.

Social Security Board: Safeguarding You, your Family, your Future!

According to Social Security (Collection of Contributions) Regulations, 1980, the word ‘earnings’ means gross earnings, which includes:

• Overtime payments
• Cost of living bonus
• Allowance or payment in respect of dependents
• Long service or efficiency payments
• Production or incentive pay and service charges
• Commission on profits or sales
• Gratuities other that those paid once year
• Payments in respect of dirty or dangerous work
• Payments in respect of shift or night work

Any employer who made its contributions has already paid his or her share. 3.5% of the 7% of the insurable earnings paid in contribution goes to the Employment Injury Benefits Branch. Social Security offers the following benefits/services:

1. Registration
2. Sickness Benefit
3. Maternity Benefit
4. Funeral Grant
5. Survivors’ Benefit
6. Invalidity Benefit
7. Employment Injury Benefit
8. Disablement Benefit
9. Retirement Benefit
10. Non-Contributory Pension

Contribution during Period of Incapacity

Payments on contribution are not applicable in any week:

• Where the employee does not accomplish its task, and where he or she does not receive any remuneration.
• Such as Monday to Saturday of each week during which an employed person is receiving injury benefit, sickness benefit, or maternity allowance, under the Social Security Scheme.  During that period, the Social Security Board will pay the required contribution on behalf of the insured person.

*Employers are required to pay only two days leave, instead of three, in the case of sickness or injury suffered by your employee, if the period of incapacity is less than 14 days.

*The contributions withheld from the employee’s salaries, along with the employer’s portion are to be paid no later than fourteen (14) days after the end of the month. The employer will take an employee who is injured on the job, to the place of first medical treatment.

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

• Cash Accepted
• Debit/Credit Cards
• Online Payments via SSB’s online Contributions Portal

Employer’s Responsibilities

1. Record all accidents or work-related disease allegedly suffered by your employees in an Accident File.
2. Inform the Social Security Board on work-related accidents or suspected illnesses immediately via telephone, fax, or by other means.
3. Ensure that the injured insured person is taken immediately to the nearest general practitioner for medical care – the employer is responsible for this transportation of injured person.
4. Facilitate investigation of the claim by Social Security Inspector by providingin formation relevant to the accident and by allowing access to witnesses to the accident.
5. If claim is disallowed the employee must pay for any medical bills incurred.
6. All employers should registered within seven days from the starting date as an employer
7. Every person at the age of fourteen (14) years and over, need to register as an insured person. They must have a Social Security Number.

The employer should keep a register to record the following:

• Complete name, address and social security number of each employee
• The dates when the employee started and stopped working.
• The date and amount of earnings an employee is being paid.
• The amount of weekly contribution being deducted from each employee’s earnings.

Employee’s Responsibilities

1. Employees are advised check their contributions record/history at least once a year to ensure payments are applied correctly to their accounts.
2. Employees are encouraged to calculate their exact weekly/monthly contributions payment using the SSB online Contributions Calculator.
3. Employees are reminded to scan or take a clear picture of their completed benefit claim forms and email to claims@socialsecurity.org.bz for processing.
4. Employees can view a complete list of Deadlines for all SSB benefits by visiting SSB’s Facebook page @SSBBelize and/or website.

Exceptions on Insurable Employment

• Casual employment
• Any job for less than eight hours in a week
• Occupation of a domestic worker for less than 24 hours in a week
• Employment  of a person in the naval, military or air service of the crown
• Employment of a woman by her husband or vice versa.

For further information contact:

Social Security Board

Corporate Headquarters

Bliss Parade, Belmopan, Belize

501-822-2163

info@socialsecurity.org.bz

www.socialsecurity.org.bz

www.youtube.com/c/SocialSecurityBoardBelize