Records: employers lose at Tribunal because the maths lived in a manager’s head

A recurring pattern in Bahamian employment disputes: employers rarely lose on the facts. They lose because the calculation was never written down properly.

The same logic works in your favour if your own records are in order.

What to keep

• Pay slips — every one
• Your employment contract and any variation
• Evidence of your start date
• Your job description, especially anything documenting supervisory duties
• NIB contribution statements
• Any termination letter or disciplinary correspondence

Why the pay slip matters twice

First, it evidences your basic pay, which drives the severance calculation.

Second, it evidences the allowances you receive — housing, vehicle, and other regular benefits — which must be included in pay in lieu of notice.

A pay slip that shows only a single figure makes both harder to establish.

What to check monthly

1. That your wage meets the $260 weekly minimum at least
2. That NIB is deducted and remitted, up to the applicable ceiling
3. That overtime is paid where worked
4. That allowances are itemised rather than folded into one number

Verify NIB separately

The deduction on your slip does not prove remittance. Check your record with the National Insurance Board directly, and note that the ceiling rose from $810 to $830 weekly on 1 July 2026.

Document your duties

Given the managerial versus non-managerial severance divide, anything that evidences supervisory responsibility is worth keeping: organisational charts, emails assigning you staff, appraisal documents referencing your team.

That is the evidence that supports a classification claim later.

If something is wrong

Raise it in writing with the employer first. The Department of Labour handles complaints, and the Industrial Tribunal handles disputes.