Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 11, 2022 (SKNIS): St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Labour, the Honourable Wendy Phipps, said that severance payment is only made to workers who qualify and that the Ministry of Labour has no records to support the claims by persons who allege that they were terminated for their refusal to take a COVID-19 vaccine and who have not received a payment from the Severance Fund.
The Minister commented on the matter in response to a question posed by a reporter at the Prime Minister’s first press conference for 2022 held at the NEMA Conference Room on Thursday, February 10, 2022.
“We have no record on file at the Ministry of Labour, where any individual would have been terminated on the basis of not taking the vaccine if it was COVID-related, and they did not receive severance,” she stated.
The Minister noted that not everyone who is terminated from their job is eligible for payment from the Severance Fund. Eligibility requirements are outlined in the Protection of Employment Act Chapter 18.27. The Severance Payment Fund is covered in Sections 12 to 35 of Part III.
Minister Phipps indicated that the records at the Ministry of Labour show that in the cases where letters clearly stated that the terminations were COVID- related, all eligible persons were fully paid their severance.
Additionally, Minister Phipps indicated, “that in cases where persons would have been terminated without cause but were paid in lieu of notice, the law allows for that.”
Persons can access the Protection of Employment Act CAP 18.27 online at lawcommission.gov.kn to learn more.