The Tribune

By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

THE National Insurance Board announced it will offer assistance to workers who have contracted the novel coronavirus or are quarantined due to exposure to the virus.

NIB also announced workers who are temporarily laid off due to the economic impact from COVID-19 will be eligible for unemployment benefits.

To qualify for the sickness benefit, a person with COVID-19 must have paid at least 40 contributions, among other requirements. For those temporarily laid off due to the virus, they should first satisfy the Department of Labour’s conditions for registration, be under 65-years-old and have paid 52 weeks in contributions.

The Tribune spoke to a representative from NIB’s Public Relations Department to get further information on the benefits and also to find out if agency would adjust entry to the public the near future, however the employee directed this newspaper to NIB’s website and Facebook page, saying additional information would be posted there.

The Tribune also made several attempts to speak with the NIB director, Nicole Virgill-Rolle, however she could not be reached up to press time.

Meanwhile, amid the threat of the potentially deadly virus, government offices remain open to human traffic and to date, civil servants have received no notice to stay home. On Monday, Atlantis staff were asked to consider taking earned vacation or two weeks unpaid leave.

So far over 7,000 people have died due to the virus. However over 70,000 have recovered. The COVID-19 virus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on March 12 and is particularly dangerous to the elderly and those with chronic diseases.