FNPF gets 175 complaints over compliance

Some employers are smart. They deduct, but don’t pay. This was what Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF) chief operating officer Pravinesh Singh said during consultation forum in Ba yesterday.

It comes after FNPF discovered that some employers were only showing the deduction on pay slips, but were not paying.

Employers have since been issued strict warnings and told to comply with regulations regarding deductions.

Mr Singh said it is important for employees to have the FNPF app on their phone and continuously check the deductions.

“If you don’t have the app you can come to the FNFP offices to find out and see if your account is up to date with the last contribution,” he said. FNPF general manager member services Alipate Waqairawai said that in the previous financial year, they had received 175 complaints regarding non-compliance for 119 employers.

Employers have since been issued strict warnings and told to comply with regulations regarding deductions.

He reminded members of the importance of ensuring that their funds were being deducted and deposited into their accounts accurately.

Mr Waqairawai said that FNPF successfully resolved 164 of these complaints regarding employer adherence to deduction.

He said the problem was that after three, four, five six years, then they would come to check their funds. “As soon as you know that your FNPF has not been deducted, you should come,” he said.

“The fund highlights our extensive efforts to ensure compliance.” Mr Waqairawai said they have conducted over 8000 inspections of employers’ compliance with FNPF regulations.

This is the time of year when FNPF hosts the annual member forum for all its members and pensioners.

This annual event was an opportunity for members and key stakeholders to be updated on the Fund’s key activities, financial performance, and future plans for FNPF. The Nadi forum is scheduled for today at 5:30pm and the Lautoka forum tomorrow at 5:30pm.

The Tavua and Rakiraki forums which were scheduled for this week have been called off.