The Dominica Social Security (DSS) said they are working on a potential “unemployment insurance” scheme. The programme is still in the future, and it will require that participants pay upfront to access its benefits. DSS deputy director, Augustus Etienne, said it will be a contributory insurance programme that will protect Dominicans from the harsh realities of unemployment.
We are considering unemployment insurance, but this will take some time; and it is something that we will have to contribute to upfront since our system is a contributory one, and all of the benefits have a contribution requirement associated with it.
Augustus Etienne, DSS Deputy Director
This essentially means that people in employment must contribute upfront to the insurance scheme in case they lose their jobs. Etienne clarified that it will protect participants against job loss and economic downturn when they become unemployed. He added that internal evaluation and technical assistance are still being perfected to facilitate a smooth sail when the scheme rolls out.
The DSS deputy director also allayed fears that some workers may not access their retirement benefits after years of contribution to social security. He said this fear is baseless and that the DSS has been in operation in 46 years and has never failed a single Dominican. He said the DSS will remain operational until the last survivor withdraws their contribution.
Those systems are not designed to disappear…they are designed so that the last contributing survivor gets his/her contribution we are there to stay.
Augustus Etienne, DSS Deputy Director
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