Wolliston returns as pensions superintendent
Amy Wolliston, Superintendent of Pensions
(CNS): The former superintendent of pensions is returning to the job this month, the chief officer in the employment ministry has confirmed. Christen Suckoo told CNS Wednesday following Bennard Ebanks’ appointment as the new labour director that he would not be expected to also act in the post of superintendent as first suspected because Amy Wolliston is now returning to the post after a three year absence, during which the former labour director had acted as the pensions boss.
Wolliston was seconded to the ministry from the Department of Labour and Pensions at the end of 2012 to help shape new pension legislation, which has now been drafted, as well as other projects. The new National Pensions Law is expected to come to the Legislative Assembly some time during the early part of this year after it was delayed in October for further public consultation.
With hundreds of employers still delinquent in meeting their legal obligation to provide pensions for employees and pay at least 50% of the obligatory 10% of the salary contribution, the new law is being touted as the tool to create a new regime of compliance.
Although the pensions department has been pursuing some rogue bosses, many hundreds have escaped sanctions but efforts to tighten up on compliance with the laws relating to the workplace, in tandem with the anticipated changes to the labour law and a new trade and business licensing regime, employers will need to meet this obligations in future in order to maintain their licences or apply for work permits.
A shortage of resources and a massive workload for the department of labour over the last few years has meant that employers who are not complying are not being actively pursued by government, raising concerns that there will be missing contributions from funds that may never be made good and undermining the goal to ensure future local retirees will not become a burden on the state and an already stretched public purse.
Category: Jobs, Local News
Welcome back Amy. And no she was not the problem for the mess last time it was the new Director of Labour & Pensions. Note that during his tenure with the department he got rid of Amy and now that he has gone she is back. It was just another Mario temper tantrum. Read between the lines people.
A little bit of familial patronage and a safe pair of hands not to rock the boat too much before the election? Is that the subtext?
Remember, her family name is McLaughlin.
Wasn’t she responsible for the mess the last time?
So much for the new broom. First step is to hire someone who turned a blind eye to flagrant breaches of the pensions law.