You must submit your claim within two (2) weeks of becoming unemployed. Failure to do so may result in the loss of a portion of the unemployment benefit.
Please note that you can submit your claim even if your employer has not given you a Termination of Services/ Lay Off Certificate (green form).
Please note also that, in light of the current COVID-19 situation, a new process is in place for the submission of claims and the re-registration process every three weeks thereafter.
Please follow the instructions below:

1. Go to NIS website www.nis.gov.bb
2. At the top of the homepage, click link which applies.
3. Download form, print, complete and sign the form
4. Scan the fully completed and signed form.
5. Also, scan your Termination of Services/ LayOff Certificate (green form).
6. Email the scanned copy to: employeeU3forms@bginis.gov.bb

OR

1. Take a photo of the fully completed and signed form
2. Also, take a photo of your Termination of Services/ LayOff Certificate (green form).
3. Email the photo to employeeU3forms@bginis.gov.bb
4. Alternatively, you can submit the completed form to a drop box located at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building, corner of Collymore Rock and Culloden Road, St. Michael.
5. Please ensure that your address, telephone numbers and your e-mail address are correct.
6. Please pay attention to our official Public Service Announcements.

All other claims including sickness should be submitted via the drop boxes on the north and south sides of the Frank Walcott Building.

If the employee is laid-off without an expected date of re-employment, vacation should be entered within the last week/month of employment.

If the employee is laid off with an expected date of re-employment, vacation should be ‘spread’ across the period of vacation. For e.g. If the employee is laid off on March 31^st, 2020 with an expected date of re-employment June 30^th , 2020, and is paid 3 weeks’ vacation, that vacation should be ‘spread’ from April 1^st , 2020 to April 21^st, 2020.

There is NO waiver of the employer portion. ‘For those employers who are prepared to retain three quarters of their workforce, even if some are on short week, Government WILL DEFER their obligation to pay the employer’s contributions for THREE MONTHS in the first instance, with the preparation to extend it for another THREE MONTHS if the crisis continues beyond that period’.

Yes. The current legislation applies.

The NIS is awaiting clarification on this matter.

The NIS is working towards offering this service in the near future and is requesting that persons who register with the Department to submit their banking details. When the facility becomes available, claimants would begin to receive their payments electronically. Persons are encouraged to complete and submit the Direct Deposit Form which can be downloaded from www.nis.gov.bb to aid in this process.

The National Insurance Board will give those on short weeks 60 per cent of their earnings for those days.  For example, if a person is placed on a three-day week, then the Board will pay 60 per cent of the wages the person would have earned for the other two days.

Unemployment short-time is paid only if the current weekly earnings are less than 50% of the average weekly earnings in the relevant quarter.

For e.g.

Relevant quarter = JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2019

Total earnings in relevant quarter = 3122

Average weekly earnings = $240.15          

HALF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS — $120.08

Based on this, if the claimant worked for less than 120.08 in any week, she is entitled to short time for that week

In week commencing 23.03.2020, she earned $65.00, therefore she is entitled to short–time.

SHORT TIME CALCULATION for week commencing 23.03.2020 (and any other week for which the claimant earned $65.00) 

1. Take away earnings paid for the week during which the claimant worked from the average weekly earnings in the relevant quarter 240.15 – 65.00 = $175.15 = average weekly short time earnings

2. Calculate 60% of the difference (from (1) above 175.15*60% = $105.09 = weekly short time benefit rate —The weekly benefit rate is paid for any week, Monday to Saturday, during which the claimant earned less than half his average weekly earnings

Persons who are already registered (prior to Monday, March 16, 2020) can place their renewal cards in the drop box. The NIS will stamp your card with a renewal date and send it to you in the mail.

However, the next step will be to eliminate the renewal cards and allow that renewal to take place online via the Declaration and Re-employment Form (Unemployment Declaration Form).

Will benefits be automatically mailed?

At present, all benefit cheques are being mailed. However, in the near future, the NIS will pay short-term benefits (e.g., unemployment, maternity, sickness) via electronic means. 

Claimants of NIS benefits with bank or credit union accounts (Barbados Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Ltd, City of Bridgetown Co-operative Credit Union Ltd, Barbados Workers Union Co-operative Credit Union Ltd.) can download the NIS Direct Deposit form from the NIS website www.nis.gov.bb, complete scanned copies of the Direct Deposit Form and the header of the bank statement and submit them to customer.service@bginis.gov.bb 

The Prime Minister, the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley indicated in her speech (Appropriations Bill) that persons claiming unemployment were not required to visit the BECCS.

It would mean that the individual would just complete the Declaration and Re-employment Form online (Unemployment Declaration Form) to state status, every three weeks when the Claimant Card for Unemployment Benefit (yellow card) is due. This form would replace the yellow card being stamped at the Unemployment Section at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building.

Cheques are being cashed early during this crisis. Those which bore the date March 30^th, 2020 were cashed as early as March 26^th, 2020. Cheques were cashed at the Post Offices, the commercial banks and the National Insurance Office. In addition, cheques with cashing dates of April 9^th and 27^th, 2020 were cashed as early as April 8^th, 2020 at Post Offices and the National Insurance Office. Pensioners were advised to adhere to the physical distancing protocols of six feet between each person when joining the queue to help to limit the spread of the disease.

You must submit your claim within two (2) weeks of becoming unemployed.  Failure to do so may result in the loss of a portion of the unemployment benefit.

Please note that you can submit your claim even if your employer has not given you a Termination of Services/ Lay Off Certificate (green form).

Please note also that, in light of the current COVID-19 situation, a new process is in place for the submission of claims and the re-registration process every three weeks thereafter.

Please follow the instructions below:

Go to NIS website www.nis.gov.bb

At the top of the homepage, click link which applies.

Download form, print, complete and sign the form

Scan the fully completed and signed form.

Also, scan your Termination of Services/ LayOff Certificate (green form).

Email the scanned copy to:  employeeU3forms@bginis.gov.bb

OR

Take a photo of the fully completed and signed form

Also, take a photo of your Termination of Services/ LayOff Certificate (green form).

Email the photo to employeeU3forms@bginis.gov.bb

Alternatively, you can submit the completed form to a drop box located at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building, corner of Collymore Rock and Culloden Road, St. Michael.

Please ensure that your address, telephone numbers and your e-mail address are correct.

Please pay attention to our official Public Service Announcements.

All other claims including sickness should be submitted via the drop boxes on the north and south sides of the Frank Walcott Building.

If the employee is laid-off without an expected date of re-employment, vacation should be entered within the last week/month of employment.

If the employee is laid off with an expected date of re-employment, vacation should be ‘spread’ across the period of vacation. For e.g. If the employee is laid off on March 31^st, 2020 with an expected date of re-employment June 30^th , 2020, and is paid 3 weeks’ vacation, that vacation should be ‘spread’ from April 1^st , 2020 to April 21^st, 2020.

There is NO waiver of the employer portion. ‘For those employers who are prepared to retain three quarters of their workforce, even if some are on short week, Government WILL DEFER their obligation to pay the employer’s contributions for THREE MONTHS in the first instance, with the preparation to extend it for another THREE MONTHS if the crisis continues beyond that period’.

Yes. The current legislation applies.

This programme is being facilitated by the Ministry of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs through its Adopt-A-Family programme where vulnerable families are being assisted.

On April 25, 2020, Acting Prime Minister, the Hon. Santia Bradshaw stated that approximately 1,500 households had been identified and the relevant authorities were working to assist. The Adopt-A-Family Programme was launched just over a month ago (March 2020) and members of the public, including those from the business community, are encouraged to make direct deposits to account number 1001193982, at CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank, Broad Street. (Source: Government Information Service, Barbados).

The NIS is working towards offering this service in the near future and is requesting that persons who register with the Department to submit their banking details. When the facility becomes available, claimants would begin to receive their payments electronically. Persons are encouraged to complete and submit the Direct Deposit Form which can be downloaded from www.nis.gov.bb to aid in this process.

The National Insurance Board will give those on short weeks 60 per cent of their earnings for those days.  For example, if a person is placed on a three-day week, then the Board will pay 60 per cent of the wages the person would have earned for the other two days.

Unemployment short-time is paid only if the current weekly earnings are less than 50% of the average weekly earnings in the relevant quarter.

For e.g.

Relevant quarter = JULY TO SEPTEMBER 2019

Total earnings in relevant quarter = 3122

Average weekly earnings = $240.15          

HALF AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS — $120.08

Based on this, if the claimant worked for less than 120.08 in any week, she is entitled to short time for that week

In week commencing 23.03.2020, she earned $65.00, therefore she is entitled to short–time.

SHORT TIME CALCULATION for week commencing 23.03.2020 (and any other week for which the claimant earned $65.00) 

1. Take away earnings paid for the week during which the claimant worked from the average weekly earnings in the relevant quarter240.15 – 65.00 = $175.15 = average weekly short time earnings

2. Calculate 60% of the difference (from (1) above175.15*60% = $105.09 = weekly short time benefit rate —The weekly benefit rate is paid for any week, Monday to Saturday, during which the claimant earned less than half his average weekly earnings

Persons who are already registered (prior to Monday, March 16, 2020) can place their renewal cards in the drop box. The NIS will stamp your card with a renewal date and send it to you in the mail.

However, the next step will be to eliminate the renewal cards and allow that renewal to take place online via the Declaration and Re-employment Form (Unemployment Declaration Form).

Will benefits be automatically mailed?

At present, all benefit cheques are being mailed. However, in the near future, the NIS will pay short-term benefits (e.g., unemployment, maternity, sickness) via electronic means. 

Claimants of NIS benefits with bank or credit union accounts (Barbados Public Workers’ Co-operative Credit Union Ltd, City of Bridgetown Co-operative Credit Union Ltd, Barbados Workers Union Co-operative Credit Union Ltd.) can download the NIS Direct Deposit form from the NIS website www.nis.gov.bb, complete scanned copies of the Direct Deposit Form and the header of the bank statement and submit them to customer.service@bginis.gov.bb 

The Prime Minister, the Hon. Mia Amor Mottley indicated in her speech (Appropriations Bill) that persons claiming unemployment were not required to visit the BECCS.

It would mean that the individual would just complete the Declaration and Re-employment Form online (Unemployment Declaration Form) to state status, every three weeks when the Claimant Card for Unemployment Benefit (yellow card) is due. This form would replace the yellow card being stamped at the Unemployment Section at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building.

If you’re a majority shareholder in a limited liability company and involved in the day-to-day operations of the company you may be seen as self-employed. You should check with the National Insurance Department to confirm your insurability status.

Nationality makes no difference so contributions must be paid whether or not you’re Barbadian.

If you’re employed in Barbados by an employer who does not live here and has no place of business here you are self-employed.

If you’re a national of another country but are employed in Barbados by your government in a diplomatic or military role you are not liable to be insured either as self-employed or as an employed person.