Unemployment Benefit
Unemployment Benefit
UNEMPLOYMENT CONTENT
To qualify for Benefits
- have been insured for at least 52 weeks.
- have at least 20 contributions paid or credited in the 3 consecutive quarters ending with the quarter but one before that in which unemployment began.
- have at least 7 contributions paid or credited in the relevant quarter, which is one quarter preceding the
- contribution quarter in which the unemployment commenced.
How is Unemployment Benefit Computed?
The daily rate of unemployment benefit is 60% of the insured person’s average insurable weekly earnings,divided by 6.
Average insurable weekly earnings means the sum of the insurable earnings on which contributions, (paid or credited) were based over the continuous period of the quarter but one before the contribution quarter in which unemployment began or is deemed to have begun, divided by 13.
Two or more periods of unemployment which are not separated by more than thirteen (13) weeks are treated as one continuous period of unemployment starting on the first day of the first period of unemployment, and the rate of benefit payable for the whole period is the rate payable during the first period of unemployment.
Payment of Unemployment Benefit
The unemployment benefit is payable for each day of unemployment, excluding Sundays, as long as unemployment continues, subject to a maximum of 26 weeks in any continuous period of unemployment; or for an aggregate of 26 weeks in the 52 weeks immediately preceding the commencement of the current week of unemployment.
Where an insured person has exhausted entitlement to the unemployment benefit, that person shall not be entitled to another such benefit until the expiration of 52 contribution weeks from the last week in respect of which benefit was paid.
The first three (3) days of a period of unemployment are treated as “waiting days’’. Unemployment benefit is not payable for these days unless the period of unemployment lasts for two (2) weeks or more.
A person who becomes unemployed should report to the Unemployment Section at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building, the corner of Collymore Rock and Culloden Road, St. Michael, Barbados or at such other place as may be determined by the Director, National Insurance Office. Claimants are no longer required to register at the Barbados Employment and Career Counselling Service in Warrens, St. Michael.
Unemployment benefit is not payable for any period spent out of the island nor for any period more than 2 weeks from the initial date of registration at the E. Humphrey Walcott Building, the corner of Collymore Rock and Culloden Road, St. Michael, Barbados.
Termination of Services/Lay Off Certificate
Employers are required to complete form U-3 Termination of Services/Lay Off Certificate in duplicate as soon as
the employee’s services are terminated or the employee is laid off.
The certificate must be given to the insured person and the duplicate sent to the National Insurance Office. This form contains information vital to the computation of the employee’s Unemployment Benefit.