Health Council List ‘Non-Compliant’ Employers’
The Bermuda Health Council said they are “experiencing a high rate of complaints from members of the public because employers are not providing health insurance coverage for their employees.”
“Since January 2017, the Bermuda Health Council has received 147 complaints and queries related to employer health insurance coverage,” BHEC said.”Common complaints received from members of the public include:
- Employers not obtaining health insurance for employees
- Employers deducting money from employees and not using it to purchase health insurance
- Employers deducting more money than they should from employees
- Employees incurring large medical bills during periods of not having health insurance
“The Health Insurance Act 1970 requires employers to provide health insurance coverage for all employees working more than 15 hours per week and beyond two months out of the year. Employers must provide the same coverage to an employee’s non-employed spouse. Employers may deduct no more than half of the monthly premium from an employee’s salary or wages toward the enacted health insurance policy.
“Employees should ensure that they receive health insurance as soon as they start employment, as well as an employment contract outlining their wages and required deductions and itemized pay stubs for their personal records.
“It is the employee’s responsibility to notify their employer of any changes to their non-employed spouse’s employment status. If an employee seeks medical attention and learns their health insurance policy is not active, they should submit the medical bills to their employer immediately for payment. Know your right to health insurance coverage and speak with your employer if there is an issue.
“The Bermuda Health Council wishes to remind employers about their obligations to obtain health insurance coverage for all employees. If an employer is non-compliant with the law and an employee incurs medical bills during a period of non-coverage, under the Act the employer is responsible for paying those medical bills, which are often more expensive than monthly premiums.
“Employers are encouraged to shop around and purchase a policy that is affordable so that payments can be made on time, thereby avoiding any disruptions in coverage. It is the employer’s responsibility to notify employees if a contract of health insurance is not in effect or if there are any changes to the health insurance policy.
“The Bermuda Health Council publishes on its website a list of non-compliant employers. To access the list, visit here.”
This is sad, but unsurprising. The economics of Bermuda are simple but get twisted in the emotional political arena. Bermuda’s economy runs on people. We need people to pay for services so they become less expensive. We need people to use local services in order for local companies to pay their bills. The less people that live here, the more the rest of us have to pay. The less people that live here, the less local businesses will be able to afford to pay their bills. The only way out of this depressed economy is for Bermuda to grow its population. Without population growth, the economy will continue to be depressed.
Is there a way to anonymously report an employer to be investigated?
Yes! Call 292-6420 or email healthcouncil@bhec.bm and we can look into it.
There ought to be if there isn’t! Time to tighten up on scofflaw employers with forced compliance – when the IRS freezes a US business’s bank account, resolution and compliance follows very quickly.
No business outside the employment laws should get government work either.
Misdirecting funds withheld from payroll has a name, theft.
If an employer cannot handle it’s obligations to it’s employees…SHUT IT DOWN!!
So if a business is deducting money and not paying health insurance, isn’t that stealing? And if a person is convicted for stealing steaks from the grocery, shouldn’t these companies be on the hook for something?
Hello Sara,
The Health Council is committed to working with employers and employees to ensure that their policy is active and employees are receiving health insurance coverage. If a policy is consistently inactive, the Health Council will pursue taking the matter to court. However, we see court as a last resort.
I’m sure there are more and they need to be reported. This is sad and employers who do not insure staff should be ashamed. they probably don’t pay social insurance either so maybe they need to look over this list as well
Hello Noooo
The Health Council accepts information from the public about employers not providing health insurance for employees. We treat this information as confidential. We ask those who are or know of any full-time workers that are not receiving health insurance to contact the Health Council either via phone (292-6420) or email (healthcouncil@bhec.bm).
Hello Noooo,
The Health Council collects information about non-compliant employers from the insurers and the public. We treat this information as confidential. We ask that if you are or know of any full-time employees that are not receiving health insurance coverage to please contact the Health Council either by phone (292-6420) or email (healthcouncil@bhec.bm)
This is great, but what about the remaining required items from employer’s? I bet this list would fold 50 times with the below information.
Private Pension
Workman Compensation
Social Insurance
Payroll Tax
It is difficult for companies to compete in Bermuda when the large majority of small business do not pay these required items.
To the Bermuda Health Council,
Have you vetted this list recently? I have noticed that a company that was previously published on this list has been taken off.
Hello Dwayne,
Anytime we receive new information, we update the online list as soon as possible.
The employers doing this need to be taken to court and prosecuted not shamed by putting them on a list. It’s time to stop pussy-footing around with these unethical employers and time to start getting tougher with them. What they are doing amounts to theft! If an employee stole money from an employer you can be sure that the law would come down hard on them. This double-standard system needs to go!!!
Hello Infidelguy,
The Health Council has and will prosecute non-compliant employers. However we view court as a last resort. We will work with employers and employees to ensure that employees are provided with health insurance coverage.