The Nassau Guardian April 8, 2020
More than 800 self-employed workers applied for government unemployment assistance during the first day of the program yesterday.
The National Insurance Board (NIB) which is facilitating the distribution of $5.5 million in assistance to people who are self-employed said the first day closed with 842 successful submissions.
Under this program, self-employed individuals with a valid business license and no employees are eligible to receive $200 per week until the end of the government mandated emergency order on April 30.
It is a part of government’s overall aid to small and large businesses, as well as self employed workers in and out of the tourism industry that may have been adversely impacted by the emergency measures implemented to stem the community spread of COVID-19.
NIB said to date it has received 4,329 applications and a decision has been made on 3,654 submissions.
“Persons who have been denied for lack of key information are asked to reply to the denial email and send the needed information, i.e. ID documents or proof of work/business documents, and NIB will reconsider immediately,” NIB said.
Last week NIB paid its first tranche of payments to 1,494 recipients of the program who work in the tourism sector in the amount of $555,893.66.
The government has allocated a total of $25.5 million for this unemployment assistance program and said it expects more than 7,000 people to benefit.