BASSETERRE, St.Kitts (Friday 4th June 2021)-Workers who are in quarantine or isolation are being asked to submit a request for an official letter to be sent to their employers which can also be used for their social security claims.
Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hazel Laws provided such information when she spoke at an emergency COVID-19 briefing of the National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) COVID-19 Daily Briefing on Tuesday 1st June 2021.
Such workers include parents of children who are in self quarantine.
Requests can be made through headmasters of schools or by calling the COVID-19 hotline via 311.
“The 311 operators, they are receiving a number of calls regarding the Quarantine and Isolation Order. So the individuals who are in isolation, meaning the positive cases and those who are in self quarantine at a government or COVID-19 certified facility and those individuals, those family members are in self quarantine, they are requesting that official letter that certifies that they were placed in isolation or quarantine in order for them to submit same to their employers, and this letter can also be used for their social security claims.”
Dr. Laws continued: “So we’re asking you to submit your requests through the headmaster of either the six high schools, that is, if your child or your ward is placed in self quarantine. However, if you’re in not any way related to the school system we’re asking you to submit your requests through the 311 operator such that your letter is prepared so that you can submit same to your employer and it can be utilized for your social security claim.”
A recent notice issued on 26th May from the Department of Labour appealed to all employers to be considerate and empathetic towards workers who have been ordered by the health authorities to enter quarantine.
Employers have been asked to preserve the employment of the individuals affected and where possible continue to pay wages, salaries in full or up to at least 35% as quarantine workers may be able to claim sickness benefits in accordance with schedule 8 part 3 section 9: 2 of the Social Security Act.