Dear Claudienne,

I am writing this letter on behalf of a 61-year-old hospital attendant at the Cornwall Regional Hospital. Even though she is employed to Cornwall Regional Hospital, she reports directly to Central Government. A few years after the Central Government authorites appointed her, they transferred her to the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA). Before her 60th birthday she enquired about early retirement. She was told that since she was no longer reporting to Central Government but to the WRHA, she would not be eligible for retirement until age 65.

She wrote a letter to the Jamaica Civil Service Association (JCSA) requesting clarification on her pension entitlement. Based on JCSA investigations and communications with the Ministry of Finance and Planning, she was informed that she retained pension rights with Central Government upon transfer to the WRHA.

I have enclosed copies of the letters she received for your perusal. Likewise, her employers are in receipt of copies of these letters. However, to date, she is yet to receive a response from her employers WRHA. She is currently sickly and would like to retire.

WRHA has been withdrawing pension contributions from her pay since 2007 and she would like them to refund her this money.

Your help to have the WRHA clarify this matter would be greatly appreciated.

SS

Dear SS

From the correspondence you sent us, we specifically noted the copy of the letter that the Ministry of Finance and Planning sent to the Jamaica Civil Service Association. The letter stated that the hospital attendant “will retain her pension rights with the Central Government.” The letter stated that In accordance with regulation, she “should not be a member of any other pension scheme.”

Tell Claudienne asked the Human Resources Manager at WRHA to investigate the matter. The WRHA manager said that despite the letter from the Finance ministry, the matter of her appointment by the Central Government had to be researched further and verified. The HR manager said that the Ministry of Health has been requested to check their records.

She explained that the matter was being carefully researched in order to protect the pension benefits of the hospital attendant. She verified that the hospital attendant contributed five per cent of her pay to the WRHA pension scheme, but explained that only one per cent of her contributions to this scheme would be returned to her. If she in fact retains pension rights with Central Government, the remaining four per cent of her contributions would be paid over to the Finance ministry towards the Widows and Orphans Fund, she said.

The WRHA HR manager said that if the one per cent of her contributions to the WRHA pension scheme was refunded to her and the Ministry’s research showed that she was not eligible for a Central Government pension, she would get no pension at all.

The HR manager has explained the situation to the hospital attendant and we have also spoken to her.

She told us that she would not take the one per cent refund from the WRHA pension scheme, but would await the outcome of the HR investigations as to her eligibility for the Central Government pension.

Good luck.

Dear Claudienne

I am 66 years old and retired. I applied for my NIS pension from last year July but up to now I have not got it. I have been checking with the NIS head office but they keep telling me that “it is in the checking stage now,” whatever that means. Right now I have a prescription to fill. I have to pay for water and electricity and I have to buy food. I don’t know why it is taking so long for me to get the pension benefit.

I am asking for your help.

GL

Dear GL

We contacted the NIS and note that your cheque has now been mailed out to you. Good luck.

Have a problem with a store, utility, a company? Telephone 936-9436 or write to: Tell Claudienne c/o Sunday Finance, Jamaica Observer, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Avenue, Kingston 5; or e-mail: edwardsc@jamaicaobserver.com. Please include a contact phone number.