Wednesday 16 September 2020
Employed people in Guernsey and Alderney with gaps in their contribution record due to having reduced earnings in the lockdown period 25 March to 19 June will be awarded contribution credits and will not have to pay to plug the gaps.
This change will protect the employee's contribution record and their benefit entitlement, without the need to pay a voluntary contribution of £20.52 for any missing weeks.
Employees are eligible to be awarded a credit if they were employed at 25 March 2020 and were present in Guernsey for at least part of each week where they have a gap in their record during lockdown.
The Revenue Service has already identified over 1,200 customers eligible for the credit during the period of lockdown and credits have been awarded without the customer having to do anything. Any employed customers who have been asked to make a voluntary contribution for missing weeks who believes they would be eligible for a COVID-19 credit are asked to make contact with the employer team by email at schedules@gov.gg.
The Committee for Employment & Social Security approved the changes and its President, Deputy Michelle Le Clerc, said:
"We know this year has been very difficult for many employees, bringing unexpected and unprecedented disruption to their working lives. We wanted to ensure those Revenue Service customers did not see deficiencies in their contribution records, where their employer was temporarily unable to provide them with paid work, or furloughed them at a reduced rate. This is why we are awarding customers contribution credits during the period of lockdown, to protect their benefit entitlement."
