SENATE President Aquilino Pimentel III has proposed a one-time amnesty to allow employers to settle the unpaid Social Security System contributions of their household help.
Despite a 1993 law that makes SSS membership for domestic helpers earning at least P1,000 a month mandatory, only a few of some two-million household help are members of the SSS, and the number of household employer who have complied with the law is quite low, Pimentel said, citing Labor department records.
Pimentel said many employers were concerned about the heavy penalties imposed by the Social Security Law on employers who fail to deduct and remit SSS contributions to their household help.
He said a significant number of employers who wanted to comply with the registration requirements were deterred by the huge penalties, and did not push through with their registration.
Pimentel said his bill would provide employers with a one-time amnesty to settle their SSS contributions as mandated by law without any penalty imposed upon them.
“This financial relief will hopefully jumpstart the long delayed compliance of the kasambahay employers to cover their househelpers with SSS benefits,” he added.