By Leonardo Blair, Staff Reporter 
IN A bid to crack down on unscrupulous employers who deduct National Housing Trust contributions from their employees without paying it over, the Trust will now be asking companies for monthly statements.
"The NHT will ask employers to submit the accounts of their employees' contribution payments over to the NHT on a monthly basis rather than the present yearly basis.
This will thereby make it easier for the NHT to identify employers with outstanding contribution payments and pursue them," managing director of the NHT Earl Samuels told The Sunday Gleaner.
In a written response to queries last week, Mr. Samuels explained that the housing body has been trying to crack down on delinquent employers in recent months.
NO RECORD
Several persons who declined to be named for this story out of fear of losing their jobs, have reported that after making contributions through their companies for years they have recently discovered that the NHT has no record of their deductions.
In one letter to The Sunday Gleaner, a security guard explained that after making contributions through his employer for five years, he recently discovered that the NHT had no record of his deductions.
"...I went to the NHT to do some business and after paying NHT over five years, only to be told by a representative that there is nothing there for me," wrote the 'concerned guard'.
A customer service representative who identified herself only as Joan, told The Sunday Gleaner in an interview that these complaints are many and daily. Many persons have left their offices disappointed after finding out that there are no records showing their contributions she said.
DELINQUENT EMPLOYERS
The NHT said that since their announcement in April that delinquent employers owed $1.7 billion the figure has been reduced to $1.46 billion.
The NHT Act currently prescribes an interest rate of 20 per cent per annum on overdue contributions. If employers fail to pay the amounts due plus interest, the Act further prescribes court action and the application of a penalty at the rate of 40 per cent per annum on sums due plus interest once judgement has been handed down.
There is also a 10 per cent surcharge on contributions, penalty, and interest if the amount remains unpaid a year after judgement has been given.
Employers are also liable to a cost of $30,000 or three times the amount of unpaid contribution whichever is greater, for withholding information required by the NHT in relation to contributions. This is applicable in instances where the annual returns have not been submitted.
