SSS says household employers face penalties for not remitting contributions

The Social Security System (SSS) on Thursday reminded household employers to register and remit the monthly social security contributions of their helpers and drivers, or face the full force of the law.

The SSS NCR-South Legal Team conducted its version of “Oplan Tokhang” in Makati City, in coordination with the police, to serve a warrant of arrest against a Filipino household employer after the SSS received a complaint from a former family driver whose contributions were supposedly not remitted to the pension fund.

According to SSS NCR-South Legal Department head Berna Valentona-Inacay, the local employer identified as Teresa Ledesma Calalang did not register and remit any contribution of driver Benjamin Dungcoy who served her family for 16 years from 1993 to 2009.

Dungcoy is now 70 years old and is hoping to receive his pension from the SSS.

The non-compliant employer has to settle arrears amounting to over P580,000 as of November 29, 2019, according to the SSS.

More than P460,000 of the arrears were penalties that have piled up over the years.

Calalang was not in the particular condominium in the warrant, but her family later called the SSS office and said they intend to settle the delinquency.

“The daughter of Teresa Calalang, tumawag magse-settle daw sila. So positive naman itong nangyari even if we were not able to arrest ... Kapag na-approve na namin ‘yung installment proposal niya, pwede na si driver mag-apply for retirement pension,” Inacay said.

“Once ma-approve ‘yung installment proposal, pwede na namin i-provisionally dismiss yung kaso,” she added.

The SSS warned household employers that they may face imprisonment of six years and one day up to twelve years and a fine of not less than P5,000 but not more than P20,000 for violating the Social Security Act, particularly for not registering and remitting social security contributions of their employees.

“You have to report all your employees for coverage with the SSS on the first day of their employment. Ang household employers must register themselves as member-employers on the first day of operation,” Inacay said. —VDS, GMA News