Unemployment Grant
This program will offer financial assistance in the amount of EC$600.00 and EC$400.00 to individuals with minor dependents under the age of 18 and individuals with no minor dependents under the age of 18 respectively who have either been laid off or whose employment have been terminated as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic or the Emergency Powers (Curfew) Order, Statutory Rules and Order No. 15 of 2020. Financial assistance will be paid via the Dominica Social Security (DSS).
Eligibility Criteria
- Individual must be a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica (proof of citizenship required), evidenced by one of the following – passport, birth certificate, or driver's license;
- Individual must have been employed in Dominica, evidenced by provision of employer details in the application;
- Individual must have been laid off/ terminated between March 1 to August 15, 2020, evidenced by an employer declaration confirming termination of employment or through offline verification by either - a DSS Compliance Officer, Justice of the Peace, or Chair of the Local Government Authority where the person works or resides;
- Individual must remain unemployed and not be engaged in business activity in order to receive each monthly payment, evidenced by a self-declaration submitted by the applicant;
- Individual has not received other unemployment benefits as a result of his/her termination, evidenced by an employer declaration or cross-checks with the Redundancy Fund database at DSS;
- Individual has not received other cash grants from the government's program for agriculture, evidenced by cross-checks with the Agriculture database;
- Working-aged persons living in the same household are eligible to receive the benefit, however, the benefit amounts will be determined based on distinct minor dependents noted in the applicant's application form; and
- Total employment income of the individuals must not exceed EC$4,000.00 per month, verified by the last month of income reported in the DSS database. For those not registered in DSS, offline verification will be conducted – either a DSS Compliance Officer, Justice of the Peace, or Chair of the Local Government Authority where the person works or resides and may include requesting additional documentation including pay slips and bank statements
Self Employed Grant
This grant program is targeted at self-employed sole trader businesses. This program will offer grant financial assistance in the amount of EC$600.00 and EC$400.00 respectively for a period of three months to self-employed individuals with minor dependents under the age of 18 and individuals with no minor dependents under the age of 18 respectively whose businesses have been suspended as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic or the Emergency Powers (Curfew) Order, Statutory Rules and Order No. 15 of 2020. Grants will be paid via the DSS.
Eligibility Criteria
- Person must be a self-employed individual citizen and resident of the Commonwealth of Dominica (proof of citizenship required) evidenced by one of the following – passport, birth certificate, or driver's license;
- Individual must show evidence of business activity and business must have been operational in Dominica prior to March 1, 2020, evidenced by at least one of the following: most recent accounting/book-keeping records, social security records or certified copy of tax return, declarations by attorneys, business registration and licenses paid before March 22, 2020). For those without these records, verification will be done by either a DSS Compliance Officer, Justice of the Peace, or Chair of the Local Government Authority where the person works or resides;
- Business must have been closed/operations suspended after March 1, 2020 and must remain closed/suspended in order to receive each month's benefit, evidenced by a self-declaration submitted by the applicant and through offline verification by either - a DSS Compliance Officer, Justice of the Peace, or Chair of the Local Government Authority where the person works or resides;
- Individual's business sales for the last calendar year ending December 31, 2019 did not exceed EC$100,000.00, evidenced by tax returns, social security records or bank statements. For those without these records, verification will be done by either a DSS Compliance Officer, Justice of the Peace, or Chair of the Local Government Authority where the person works or resides;
- Individual is not in receipt of other employment income, verified through social security records;
- Individual has not received cash grants from government for agriculture, evidenced by cross-checks with the Agriculture database; and
- Individual is registered with the DSS before or at the time the application is submitted
Updated: 18/06/2020