Employee benefitsin Antigua and Barbuda

The Medical Benefits Scheme provides eligible residents with medicines and financial assistance for healthcare, including qualifying laboratory tests, imaging, surgery, hospital care and drugs. It also supports public hospitals and clinics. Registration and the scheme’s eligibility and reimbursement rules determine access; payroll contributions do not themselves promise unlimited treatment or reimbursement of every charge.

Hotels covered by the collective agreement between the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union provide eligible permanent full-time staff with private medical insurance after probation. The employee premium is shared 60% employer and 40% worker. A worker can opt out with evidence of other coverage; dependent additions are fully worker-funded.

The health scheme negotiated by the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union includes dental treatment for eligible full-time staff. The employee’s combined plan premium is shared 60% employer and 40% worker; dependent additions are worker-funded. Dental treatment limits and patient charges follow the insurance contract.

The health scheme negotiated by the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union includes vision benefits for eligible full-time staff. Employer and worker share the combined employee premium 60% and 40%; dependent additions are worker-funded. The policy determines eye-care and eyewear reimbursement.

Social insurance pays XCD 2,500 to the person meeting the funeral cost of a qualifying insured person. Eligibility can arise from a sickness, maternity, invalidity or age benefit entitlement, or at least 26 weekly contributions in the 12 months before death. A shared funeral cost produces proportionate payments supported by receipts. Submit the claim and original death and cost documents within six months; occupational-injury deaths have separate treatment.

The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board, the public social-insurance agency, provides pensions or grants to eligible family members of contributors who had, or qualified for, an age or invalidity benefit. A qualifying widow or disabled widower receives 50% of the deceased person’s pension, with a published XCD 350 monthly minimum. Eligible unmarried children receive 25%, or 40% if orphaned or disabled, with a published XCD 87.50 monthly minimum; child eligibility normally ends at 16, or 18 while attending school. A widow who has reached the age ten years below normal pensionable age, with a three-year marriage, can receive lifetime payments; other widows normally receive one year, or payment while disabled. A disabled widower needs a three-year marriage and prior financial dependence on his wife. Marriage after the deceased began receiving a pension is excluded. Remarriage or cohabitation ends spouse payments. Claim within one year of death.

The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board, the public social-insurance agency, provides a pension or grant below pensionable age when a medically assessed illness permanently prevents employment. The pension route requires at least three years of contributions; a grant requires at least 52 contribution weeks or 12 contribution months. The grant is XCD 1,200 or 75% of total contributions, whichever is greater. The scheme requires medical evidence and its own doctor’s second opinion.

The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board administers the public pension, whose normal pensionable age is 65. Qualifying contributions provide a monthly pension starting at 25% of average annual insurable earnings, increasing by one percentage point per additional 50 weekly contributions above the applicable qualifying schedule, up to 50%. Reference earnings normally use the best five contribution years in the last ten. The published minimum pension is XCD 350 monthly. Early awards reduce the pension by 0.5% for each month before pensionable age; pensionable age does not itself set every employer’s compulsory retirement age.

At pensionable age, an insured person with at least 52 weekly contributions who does not qualify for a pension can receive an age grant. The grant is 75% of total employer and employee contributions paid through the pensionable year, or XCD 1,200 if greater. This is a lump sum rather than continuing monthly income.

After more than one year of aggregate service with the employer and predecessors, termination for redundancy or sale or disposal to a successor employer can trigger severance. The minimum is one day’s latest basic pay per month or major fraction of service. At a sale, an employee can accept severance and end the old employment, or continue with preserved service and rights for a later successor-paid entitlement. Ordinary severance is due at termination; special temporary-layoff timing rules apply.

The health scheme negotiated by the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union includes life and accidental-death or dismemberment insurance for eligible full-time staff. Its linked 2021 policy summary specifies XCD 25,000 life cover. This is a dated scheme example; current policy terms control the insured payment and beneficiary eligibility.

The retirement fund established by the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union enrolls covered hotel employees after its four-week probation. Employee and hotel each contribute 2.5% of basic salary; extra voluntary employee payments are not matched. Employees always own their own contributions and interest; employer contributions become theirs after five years’ continuous service. The account can pay from retirement at 60, total disability, death or qualifying involuntary departure. Transfers between covered hotels can preserve the account.

After successfully completing probation, employees earn at least one day of paid vacation per month of employment, equivalent to 12 days over a full year. Pay includes the basic wage and cash equivalent of payments in kind. Vacation excludes public holidays, sickness and daily or weekly rest. Employer and employee agree the dates; leave may be advanced by agreement, and earned leave exceeding six days can be split by agreement. An employer cannot require an employee to surrender vacation for cash. Accrued unused leave is paid when employment ends.

Employees receive their basic wage for at least the first 12 workdays of sickness leave in each consecutive 12-month employment year. A doctor’s certificate or other satisfactory evidence must be supplied on the third consecutive day. The employer’s basic-wage obligation is separate from the public sickness benefit, which replaces a share of qualifying insured earnings under different eligibility and waiting rules. Prolonged incapacity can lead to statutory medical assessment and compensation under the applicable termination rules.

The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board, the public social-insurance agency, pays eligible private-sector employees and self-employed contributors 60% of average insurable weekly earnings during certified non-occupational illness. Qualification requires age 16 to below pensionable age, employment the day before illness, at least 26 weekly contributions and eight weeks worked in the preceding three calendar months. The first three days and Sundays are unpaid; a recurrence within eight weeks avoids a new waiting period. Benefit lasts up to 26 weeks, with a possible further 13 weeks following the scheme doctor’s assessment. Claim within 21 days. Government and statutory-establishment employees are excluded from this benefit.

A one-time maternity grant is available where the mother or her husband has paid at least 26 weekly contributions since joining social insurance and 26 weekly contributions in the year immediately before birth. Medical proof of birth is required; for birth overseas the original birth certificate is submitted. The grant is separate from the mother’s weekly maternity allowance.

An employee with at least 12 months of unbroken service receives at least 14 weeks of maternity leave on producing a medical certificate stating the expected birth date. The employer pays at least 40% of basic wages during the leave. A separate social-insurance maternity allowance has its own contribution conditions and earnings base; combining its 60% rate with employer pay does not guarantee full replacement of every employee’s salary.

The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board, the public social-insurance agency, pays a maternity allowance of 60% of average insurable weekly earnings for up to 14 weeks. It can begin six weeks before birth or as late as the birth week; no payment is made for periods worked or for Sundays. Reference earnings come from the 52 weeks immediately before the six-week pre-birth period, divided by weeks worked with a minimum divisor of 26. Medical and employer certification and proof of birth support the claim. A stillbirth qualifies where pregnancy lasted at least 28 weeks.

An employee who does not work a public holiday keeps the basic wage for that day if they worked the scheduled day immediately before and after it. Working the holiday ordinarily earns the holiday wage plus at least 150% of the basic hourly rate for hours worked. Emergency work and ministerial exemptions can have specific terms. Public holidays are additional to paid vacation; a festival event is not automatically an extra statutory day off.

Some employers provide a discretionary year-end bonus in addition to agreed salary. The employer’s policy or employment agreement determines eligibility, award value and payment timing. An extra annual salary payment should be distinguished from statutory leave, social-insurance contributions and a guaranteed contractual bonus.

The retirement fund for hotels covered by the collective agreement between the Antigua and Barbuda Hotels and Tourism Association and the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union pays an account balance as a lump sum or monthly annuity, a series of retirement payments. On departure, employees receive their own contributions and interest plus employer contributions they have earned ownership of under the five-year service rule. Withdrawal while still employed is prohibited, but after three years of contributions, 50% of personal contributions can secure a bank loan for a primary home, education or major medical costs.

An employee works under employment arrangements protected by the Labour Code. A genuine self-employed contractor operates a business and negotiates service fees, expenses and support separately; an agreement’s contractor label does not remove employee protections where the actual relationship is employment. A fixed-term employee is still an employee and is distinct from an independent contractor.

Probation normally cannot exceed three months. A longer period requires provision in a collective agreement with the registered trade union acting as sole bargaining agent. The employer provides reasonable training and keeps the worker informed of progress. Either party ordinarily gives at least 24 hours’ termination notice during probation; trade-union rights remain protected.

Within ten days of hiring, the employer gives an employee a written statement of duties, ordinary hours and rest, pay and calculation method, any fixed duration, probation and leave terms. Statutory minimums and an applicable collective agreement cannot be reduced by individual contract. Fixed-term employment must identify the task, period and terms and cannot fill a permanent or collectively bargained position. A fixed-term worker becomes a full-time employee where the contract has been renewed at least twice after initial issue and total employment reaches one year.

The national minimum basic wage is XCD 11.50 per hour from 1 April 2026. An applicable occupational, collective or contractual rate can provide a higher floor.

Wages are paid at regular intervals no longer than one month, on ordinary working days. When deductions are made, the employer supplies an accurate statement of wages earned and each deduction. Employers keep pay, hours and leave records for at least 18 months and make them available to the employee for inspection and copying on demand.

The ordinary workday is no more than eight hours and ordinary week no more than 48. Total work is normally capped at 12 hours in 24 and 72 hours in seven days, subject to ministerial industry and exceptional-work orders. Employees receive at least 24 consecutive hours’ rest in each seven-day period unless a collective agreement provides otherwise. A shorter agreed ordinary week can apply.

Work above eight hours in 24 or 48 in seven days attracts at least 1.5 times the employee’s basic hourly wage, subject to an applicable ministerial order changing industry standards. Contractual or collective terms can provide a shorter overtime threshold or higher premium.

Outside summary misconduct and short fixed-term exceptions, employer and employee normally give notice equal to the interval between paydays. The statutory period need not exceed 30 days unless the contract specifies longer notice. During probation, at least 24 hours is required. An employer can pay the wages for the unworked notice period instead. During served employer notice, the employee receives reasonable paid time to look for another job as far as practicable. After probation, the employer gives a written precise termination reason within seven days of termination or notice.

Employers deduct an Education Levy from employee gross income to fund education. For monthly pay, XCD 541.67 is exempt; the portion above that amount through XCD 5,000 is charged at 2.5%, and the portion above XCD 5,000 at 5%. Weekly calculations exempt XCD 125 and change to 5% above XCD 1,154. Fortnightly and twice-monthly calculations follow their respective pay-interval tables. This is an employee deduction, not an additional employer percentage.

Personal income tax on employment income was repealed from July 2016. Employers still deduct the applicable employee social-insurance, medical-scheme and Education Levy amounts. Self-employed business income instead falls under the unincorporated business tax rules; absence of wage income tax does not remove those business obligations.

The Medical Benefits Scheme finances healthcare assistance and medicines. Employed people aged 16 to under 60 and their employers ordinarily contribute 3.5% of gross wages each, without an earnings ceiling. From 60 to under 70 the worker pays 2.5% and the employer pays nothing; from 70 neither contributes. For earnings below XCD 400 monthly or XCD 100 weekly, the published low-earnings category instead requires 7% from the employer and nothing from the employee. Apply the relevant age and low-earnings category before calculating deductions.

The Antigua and Barbuda Social Security Board funds pensions and cash protection for sickness, maternity, invalidity and survivors. Private-sector employees contribute 7% of insurable earnings and employers 9%; public-sector employees contribute 6% and employers 9%. These final scheduled rates have applied since January 2025. Insurable earnings are capped at XCD 6,500 monthly, XCD 3,000 fortnightly, XCD 1,500 weekly or XCD 78,000 annually. Contributions begin with the first pay, including probation. Remit within 14 days after month-end; a weekend or holiday deadline moves to the next business day. Late payment attracts a 10% surcharge.

Social-insurance earnings include salary, overtime, vacation and holiday pay, housing and shift allowances, bonuses, commissions, service charges and similar remuneration. Contributions are not payable on severance or travelling allowances, or during receipt of social-insurance sickness or maternity benefit; uncertified sick days remain contributory. With concurrent jobs, each employer accounts for its own wages up to the scheme ceiling; excess payments can be refunded on application.

Non-citizens generally need the appropriate work permission before taking a local employee role. The employer-led application identifies the worker, proposed position and period of employment and supplies the required identity and employment details. Visitor admission is separate from work authorization; a service fee agreement does not itself establish a right to work locally.