NSSF Managing Trustee Tom Odongo said they had considered and accepted calls to extend the deadline as domestic workers and their employers rush to register with the fund/FILE
The fund has pushed the deadline from this Friday to June 30 due to what the fund described as an overwhelming public response.
NSSF Managing Trustee Tom Odongo said they had considered and accepted calls to extend the deadline as domestic workers and their employers rush to register with the fund.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse and this means that employers of domestic workers are required by law to register them with NSSF and remit their contributions or risk legal action,” he said.
The extension, Odongo said, will facilitate the registration of more than two million targeted members.
“Ours is not an attempt to harass or intimidate the employers and employees and this we formally attest through the extended amnesty,” Odongo explained.
NSSF has also set up a toll free telephone numbers 2713009, 2713010 and 2713012, to be used by workers wishing to verify their status or lodge complaints of the employers who have failed to remit their dues.
Upon registration, the respective employers will be expected to remit NSSF monthly contributions currently amounting to Sh400 to facilitate the domestic workers social security cover.
“Ignorance of the law is no excuse and this means that employers of domestic workers are required by law to register them with NSSF and remit their contributions or risk legal action,” he said.
The cover will afford domestic workers a number of statutory benefits and grants including the age, invalidity and survivors benefits; affording them equal dignity to formal sector workers in their old age.
At the same time, Odongo has confirmed that NSSF wants to reduce its benefits settlement turnaround period from the current seven to 10 days to less than five days in coming months.
Commencing September this year, the fund plans to also start providing a statement of account slip to its members through various convenient dispatch platforms including an online and SMS system.
NSSF is mandated to register members, collect contributions, invest the contributions and pay specified benefits and currently has 1.5 million active members largely drawn from workers in the formal sector of the economy.
