Civil servants, Government Auxiliary Employees (GAEs), pensioners and STEP workers began receiving their fifty percent (50%) salary bonus on Thursday December 21st.

During the 2024 Budget address, Prime Minister and Minister Finance, Dr. Terrance Drew, announced the aforementioned. The Social Security Board (SSB) in the wake of this, issued a press release stating “employers and employees are advised that bonuses or extra payment of salary paid in the month of December 2023 are to be made without any deductions of Social Services Levy.”

“By law, the Social Security Act, No 13 of 1977, prescribes that bonuses paid in the month of December are exempt from Social Security contributions. This means that bonuses paid in December should be exempt from such deductions,” SSB says. The extra payment must be paid in December to qualify for the exemptions noted above.

In addition to the Prime Minister’s announcement, were the establishment of a Financial Education and Savings Programme, for all citizens 5-18 years of age, an 8 percent increase in salaries for civil servants and workers’ bonus-EC$ 500 to all non-civil servants.