Employee Documentation

One of the things that employees fail to take seriously is the personal information that they provide their employers that go into one’s file.

When you join a company, you are provided with an Employee Data Form where you are expected to fill in your personal information like, marital status, number of dependants, next of kin etc. The above information is usually very important to an employer and always for the general wellbeing of the employee.

The problem comes when such personal information change but the employee fails to update the office. Or when the employee feels that the employer is meddling in their personal lives by asking for such information. Then tragedy strikes and payment of final dues or benefits becomes complicated and the employer is dragged into very unnecessary family drama. As Africans, especially men, polygamy is not a new thing or something to be ashamed about if you have chosen to embrace it. Let your employer know about the three or four wives if you have them.

Whoever you choose as your next of kin is a personal decision. Your employer cannot compel you to select someone you don’t want, even if it’s a spouse. Whenever this person is under age, ie, below 18years, their guardian receives any payments on their behalf. Always remember that the company recognizes only the next of kin name on file. Should you pass on or become incapacitated to the point that you are rendered incapable of making decisions for yourself and you never nominated a next of kin in file, your employer is required to send all of your final dues to the District Labour Office. Your family can always fight it out at the labour office until the government finds a solution.