Download PDF Version Overview
Capital
Kingston Currency
Jamaican Dollar (JMD) Date Format
dd/mm/yyyy
Public holidays calendar
Contributions
Employer
Employer Payroll Contributions
3.00%
National Insurance Scheme (NIS) (on maximum renumeration of 3 million JMD per year)
3.00%
National Housing Trust (NHT)
3.50%
Education Tax
3.00%
Human Employment & Resources Training (HEART)
12.50% Total Employment Cost
Employee
Employee Payroll Contributions
3.00% (on maximum renumeration of 3 million JMD per year)
National Insurance Scheme (NIS)
2.00%
National Housing Trust (NHT)
2.25%
Education Tax
7.25% Total Employee Cost
Employee Income Tax
0.00%
Up to 1,500,096 JMD (applicable Jamaican residents)
25.00%
1,500,096 JMD to 6,000,000 JMD
30.00%
Above 6,000,000 JMD
Employer Taxes
3 HIGHEST
3 LOWEST
Mexico
China
South Korea
Jamaica
South Africa
Georgia
Macedonia
43.72%
40.92%
34.84%
12.5%
2%
2%
0%
Employee taxes
3 HIGHEST
3 LOWEST
Romania
Macedonia
Netherlands
Jamaica
Belarus
Ukraine
Cambodia
35%
28%
27.65%
7.25%
1%
0.6%
0%
Minimum Wage
General
The weekly minimum wage in Jamaica is 7,000 JMD or 30,310.00 JMD per month.
This minimum wage was set in 2018 and is reviewed every three years.
Minimum wage (per month)
$4000
$2663
$2518
$189.44
$36.80
$17.24
$2.33
Geneva
Luxembourg
Australia
Jamaica
Angola
Tanzania
Venezuela
3 HIGHEST
3 LOWEST
Payroll
Payroll Cycle
Salaries are paid on either a monthly or semi-monthly basis.
13th Salary
There is no statutory requirement for a 13th-month salary in Jamacia.
Working Hours
General
Full-time employment is considered 40 hours weekly and is generally 8 hours per day.
Seven days a week, including Sunday, are now considered working days in Jamacia, with work shifts up to 12 hours in 24 hours.
Overtime
Overtime is defined as work exceeding 40 weekly hours, work on a rest day, or work on a holiday.
Overtime pay is 200.00% of the normal pay for each additional hour worked or whatever contractual agreement the employee and employer have agreed upon.
Leave
Paid Time Off
Employees are granted two weeks of paid leave per year. Three weeks of paid leave is given to employees with over ten years of continuous service.
Vacation days
Public holidays
3 HIGHEST
3 LOWEST
Spain
Brazil
Tanzania
Jamaica
Michigan
China
Federal
44
43
43
19
13
12
10
Public Holidays
There are 10 public holidays in Jamaica.
Sick Days
Employees are granted two weeks of paid leave per year. Three weeks of paid leave is given to employees with over ten years of continuous service.
Maternity Leave
Pregnant employees are entitled to 12 weeks of maternity leave once one year of service has been completed.
The maternity pay is paid for a period of eight weeks at the regular salary rate.
PAID MATERNITY LEAVE (DAYS)
413
410
365
84
40
30
0
Norway
Bulgaria
Serbia
Jamaica
Malawi
Tunisia
Federal
3 HIGHEST
3 LOWEST
Paternity Leave
There is no Statutory Requirement for Paternity Leave in Jamacia.
Parental Leave
There is no Statutory Requirement for Parental Leave in Jamacia.
Other Leave
There is no other Statutory leave in Jamacia.
Termination
Termination Process
Employers can terminate a fix term contract by giving the following reasons – business, personal, or worker’s misconduct. It requires notice and a written explanation for the termination. If the reason is misconduct, a warning needs to be given, and the employee gets a chance to explain actions.
Notice Period
The minimum amount of working notice or termination pay in lieu of notice required under Section 63 is determined by the length of employment as follows:
- Up to 5 years of employment entitles workers to 2 weeks’ notice.
- 5-10 years of service entitles workers to four weeks’ notice.
- 10-15 years of service entitles workers to 6 weeks’ notice.
- 15-20 years of service workers to 8 weeks’ notice.
- 20 + years of service workers to 12 weeks’ notice.
Severance Pay
Severance pay is only required for cases of redundancy.
Severance pay for redundancy is calculated at two weeks’ pay per year for the first ten years of service and, after that, increasing to three weeks´ pay per year.
Probation Period
There is no statutory requirement for a probationary period in Jamacia. However, collective agreements generally stipulate a 3 to 6-month probation period.
VISA
VISA
Persons seeking to obtain a work permit are required to apply to the Work Permit Department of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS) through their prospective employer, contractor, or legal representative.
Employers submitting work permit applications on behalf of prospective employees are required to submit a cover letter to the Permanent Secretary of the MLSS, outlining:
- The reasons for the application
- The duration of the work being undertaken
- Any efforts to recruit local persons to carry out the work stipulated
Applications for work permits on behalf of self-employed persons must also be submitted with a cover letter outlining
- The nature and duration of the work stipulated
- Certified copies of the credentials of the applicant
- Two (2) passport photographs
- The individual’s resume
- The individual’s police record
A non-refundable processing fee of 14,400 JMD must be submitted with the application. If the MLSS approves the grant, the applicant must pay a work permit fee before the permit can be issued.
Duration of Permit Work Permit Fee (JMD)
Up to 3 months 27,000 JMD
3 – 6 months 54,000 JMD
6 – 9 months 81,000 JMD
9 – 12 months 108,000 JMD
The turnaround time for the approval of a work permit is approximately 4 – 6 weeks.
VAT
General
The standard rate of GCT in Jamacia is 15.00%
Version History
April 1, 2020
National Insurance Scheme (NIS) increased from 2.75% to 3.00%
Questions & Answers
Do you get paid for unused vacation days if u resign?
Hi Shane, thank you for your question. This is correct, upon termination, unused vacation days should be paid out.
Good Morning, How is this calculated?
Hi, this is calculated based on the daily pay rate multiplied by the number of unused vacation days.
Thank you. Is this overall of within the current year? Like I’ve worked with a company 1 yr and 6 months bit never taken my vacation days..
This would depend on your company’s policy on rollover vacation days from the previous year. I would suggest reaching out to your HR team to find out how many days of paid leave you have acrued.
how long do you have to be working to be granted sick days pay?
Hi Shanquille, new employees are eligible for sick leave after 110 days of employment. Hope this helps!
THANK YOU
Which month if the year does sick leave becomes eligible?
The first seven days of the year is eligible for sick leave?
Hi Nikki, eligibility depends on the length of employment and not the month. An employee becomes eligible for sick leave after 110 days of employment.
what should I do if I got terminated and I haven’t got paid up
Hi, There are multiple factors involved, so I suggest visiting the Jamaican Government “Employment (Termination and Redundancy) Act” for guidance specific to your situation. https://moj.gov.jm/sites/default/files/laws/Employment%20%28Termination%2C%20etc.%29%20Act.pdf
Should security officers get paid for contract breaks they didn’t get when they resign
Thank you for your question. The best way to approach this matter is by contacting a contract lawyer to examine the specific details of the contract. Circumstances may vary on a case-by-case basis.
If your working for 3 years are u eligible for sick leave?
Yes, you become eligible for sick leave after 110 days of employment.
If I resign my job after being with the company for over 10 years, how will my employer calculate my final pay which should also include my vacation days.
In general, employees earn three weeks of vacation after 10 years of service. If there are unused vacation days earned by the employee, they should be compensated at the regular rate of pay to the employee at the time.
When the year restarts given that you have passed the 110days of employment are you given 10sick days at the start of the year?
If an employee has worked for 110 days, but less than 220 days, they earn 1 day of sick leave for every 22 days worked. Once they have worked for 220 days, they receive their full two weeks of sick leave.
I wana know I have been working ina whole sale for 1yr 8 months is it possible for me to get a leave
Hi Shantal, thank you for your question. It depends on the number of days you have worked. If you have worked between 110-220 days, you earn 1 day of vacation for every 22 days worked. Once you have worked at least 220 days in a year, you are entitled to the full allotment of vacation leave.
Is an employer allowed to lower your pay without notice? My pay structure got lower and I’m just finding out a month later.
Hi Phillip, thank you for your question. In general, this usually needs to be mutually agreed upon between you and your employer, however, there are other factors involved as well.
Hello…If i work seven consecutive days or more should i get double from the seventh day onwards?
Jamaica has flexi-work so it depends on your arrangement with your employer. Also, overtime pay is determined by the number of hours worked in a week and not the number of days, so overtime is only paid if you have worked more than 40 hours in a week.
Just so I understand clearly, After an employee has work for 110 days in the first instance, will he/she be entitled to the full 10 days sick leave right away? or the employee will need to earn on a pro-rated basis there-on in? There is some ambiguity here, please clarify.
Hi Rupert, the law states that after 110 days of employment, a worker is entitled to sick leave with pay for the first 10 days of illness. The law is quite vague in that it doesn’t address how sick leave is accrued other than the aforementioned.
Ok, thanks Emily. You and team are doing a great job. Keep up the good work.
Hi,
Are hourly paid employees entitled to get paid for public holidays if they do not work?
In general, an employer is only required to pay hourly employees for the time they actually worked.
Thanks much! One last question regarding Salaried persons and public holidays, I recall that once you would have been scheduled to work on the day the holidays falls on then you should be paid for the day, in the event an employee had a let’s say a SL filed for that day but doesn’t have any sick days would they still be paid given that it’s a holiday or no? Hope this isn’t confusing, thanks in advance!
If it’s a salaried employee and it’s a non-working public holiday, then it’s irrelevant since they have a set monthly salary. If it’s a working public holiday, then the employee must work — taking sick leave with no sick leave days typically requires a doctor’s note or, it will come out of the employee’s salary. Getting paid for public holidays can also be contract or employer-specific, so it’s best to speak with either HR or a manager.
Hi, what´s the % the employer pays for social security?
Hi Maria, in Jamaica, social security is referred to as “National Insurance Scheme” and the employer contribution is 3.00%. Please see the above employer payroll taxes for more information.
Does the YTD on a payslip include current earnings for a pay period?
Hi Rupert, YTD on the payslip includes everything for the entire year to current, so it indeed does show your current total earnings for the entire year. The quickest way to check this is to go back and look at all of your payslips and calculate your totals.
Thanks Emily
am i eligible for paid maternity after 3yrs of fulltime work then agreed partime for less than a year?
Hi Nev, you should be entitled to maternity leave if you’ve been continuously employed with the same employer, even if you’ve started working part time.
I have been employed for over a year, how many days off am I entitled for?
Hi Tasha, thank you for your question. If you’ve been employed full-time, you are entitled to 2 weeks of paid leave. You can find out more information under the “Leave” section.
Thanks for this. A few questions:
1. What determines whether someone is an hourly employee or weekly one? For example are you an hourly employee not due holiday pay if you work 40 hrs/ week, or are you a weekly employee due holiday pay?
2. What are the laws around payment for live- In workers who take care of the sick and of children?
Hi Marsha, to answer your first question, whether you are deemed hourly or weekly employee would be something that is determined in your employment contract. Regarding your second question, this is out of the scope of what we can offer information for.
Hi, I have worked 3 years and i decided to resign in march…..would i be entitled to vacation pay or sick leave?
Hi, it depends on your written contract regarding time off, but you should be entitled to vacation pay but not necessarily sick leave pay.
Hi good day. I have worked at a contact center for the last 2 years and 6 mths. I gave adequate notice before resigning recently, more than two weeks. Just wanted to Know if I’m only to be paid for vacation days I had that were not used. Seeing that I resigned early this year I just wanted an idea of what I’m to be paid.
Hi. Upon termination of employment, unused vacation days should be compensated. Your contract should stipulate how many days can be carried over from year to year.
Do I have to be working a certain amount of days to get holiday with pay? Can you explain who is a casual/temporary worker?
In order to qualify for paid time off, you have to work at least 110 days. If you work between 110 days and 220 days, you receive one vacation day for every 22 days worked. After you work for 220 days, you receive your full allotment of 2 weeks of paid time off.
A casual worker is one who is not formally employed as a permanent employee by the company but rather hired short-term for a specific task and usually paid by the hour rather than monthly.
What if I was on a 6month work programme but was asked to continue working. Would the 110/220 days be in the 6months? Or does it start after the 6months?
Hi Kay, stepping in for Alex. This would start from the first day of initial employment, not from after the 6 months.
if am fired how much should my company pay me for working 5 years
Hey Akeem, unless stated otherwise in your contract, you are not entitled to severance pay. The only thing that you are paid out for is your unused vacation days.