According to Executive Director of the Dominica Employers Federation(DEF), Achille Joseph, many Dominicans have lost their jobs and others are being encouraged to take their available leave days as a result of the impact of COVID-19 on the business community. If employees do not wish to use their vacation leave at this time then the alternative is no paid leave.

Further, Joseph said that the federation is looking into establishing a social insurance that would be able to sustain employees while they are  not employment.

He said, “We’ve met with the top leadership of social insurance and we agreed in principle on a method and a system whereby employees can get some of their lost earnings for a period of time”.

A fund has been identified to draw from and would need ministerial signature in order to utilize it as the fund was not originally designed for that purpose.