Employer of Record in Trinidad and Tobago

An Employer of Record (EOR) in Trinidad and Tobago helps you hire employees in the country without setting up a local entity. This means you can build a team there while the EOR handles all the legal and HR responsibilities. An EOR, like Rivermate, becomes the legal employer for your workers. They manage payroll, taxes, benefits, and ensure you comply with local labor laws. This lets you focus on your business while the EOR takes care of the employment details.

How an Employer of Record (EOR) Works in Trinidad and Tobago

Using an EOR in Trinidad and Tobago simplifies hiring. Here is how it works:

1. You Find the Talent. You recruit and select the person you want to hire in Trinidad and Tobago.
2. The EOR Hires Your Candidate. The EOR legally hires the employee on your behalf through a local, compliant employment contract.
3. Onboarding and HR. The EOR manages the entire onboarding process. They also handle all HR tasks, including payroll, taxes, and benefits, according to Trinidad and Tobago's laws.
4. You Manage Your Team. You manage your employee's day-to-day work and responsibilities, just like any other member of your team.
5. Ongoing Compliance. The EOR stays up-to-date with any changes in local labor laws to ensure you remain compliant.

Why use an Employer of Record in Trinidad and Tobago

Using an EOR in Trinidad and Tobago is a smart move for companies that want to grow their teams without the hassle of international expansion. It saves you time and money. You avoid the complex and costly process of setting up a legal entity in a new country.

Here are some key benefits:

• Enter the Market Faster. You can hire employees and start operating in weeks, not months.
• Ensure Full Compliance. EORs are experts in Trinidad and Tobago's labor laws, so you don't have to be. They handle all the legal details to keep you compliant.
• Reduce Costs. You avoid the high costs associated with establishing a legal entity, such as legal fees and administrative overhead.
• Attract Top Talent. Offer competitive benefits packages that comply with local standards and expectations, making your company more attractive to skilled professionals.
• Simplify HR and Payroll. The EOR manages all payroll, tax, and HR responsibilities, freeing you up to focus on your business goals.

Rivermate's transparent pricing model eliminates complexity with a single, competitive monthly fee per employee. Unlike traditional PEO providers, our pricing in Trinidad and Tobago includes comprehensive HR support, benefits administration, compliance management, and access to our proprietary dashboard for real-time workforce analytics. No hidden costs, no setup fees—just straightforward pricing that scales with your business needs while ensuring full legal compliance in Trinidad and Tobago.

Hiring in Trinidad and Tobago comes with its own set of rules and cultural norms. The energy sector is a major player, but opportunities exist across various industries. To hire compliantly, you need to understand the local labor laws. This guide will walk you through the key aspects of hiring in this Caribbean nation.

Employment contracts & must-have clauses

While you can have a verbal employment agreement in Trinidad and Tobago, a written contract is always the best approach. It provides clarity for both you and your employee. A strong contract helps prevent future disputes.

Your employment contracts should include these essential clauses:

• Identification of Parties: Full legal names and addresses of the employer and employee.
• Job Title and Description: A clear outline of the role and responsibilities.
• Start Date: The official first day of employment.
• Compensation: Details on salary, payment frequency, and method.
• Working Hours: Standard hours of work and any overtime provisions.
• Leave Entitlements: Information on vacation, sick leave, and other types of leave.
• Probationary Period: If applicable, the length and terms of the probation period.
• Termination Clause: Conditions and notice periods for ending the employment relationship.
• Confidentiality: The employee's obligation to protect company information.
• Governing Law: A statement that the contract is governed by the laws of Trinidad and Tobago.

Probation periods

It is common to include a probationary period in your employment contracts. This allows you to assess a new hire's suitability for the role. There is no legally mandated maximum duration for probation, but it typically ranges from three to six months.

During probation, you can have a shorter notice period for termination, but it must be reasonable.

Working hours & overtime

The standard work week in Trinidad and Tobago is 40 hours, typically eight hours a day for five days. Any work done beyond these standard hours is considered overtime.

Here's how overtime pay is typically handled:

You must keep accurate records of all hours worked by your employees, including standard and overtime hours.

Public & regional holidays

Employees in Trinidad and Tobago are entitled to paid time off for public holidays. If an employee works on a public holiday, they are generally entitled to double their regular pay rate.

Here is a list of the official public holidays in Trinidad and Tobago:

• New Year's Day
• Spiritual Baptist/Shouter Liberation Day
• Good Friday
• Easter Monday
• Eid al-Fitr
• Indian Arrival Day
• Corpus Christi
• Labour Day
• Emancipation Day
• Independence Day
• Republic Day
• Divali
• Christmas Day
• Boxing Day

Hiring contractors in Trinidad and Tobago

You can also hire independent contractors for specific projects or specialized skills. This offers flexibility and can be more cost-effective since you do not have to provide benefits like paid leave or health insurance.

However, you must correctly classify your workers. Misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor can lead to significant penalties, including back taxes and fines.

Here are some key differences between an employee and an independent contractor:

An Employer of Record (EOR) can help you mitigate the risks of misclassification. An EOR can help you hire and pay contractors compliantly, ensuring that you adhere to local labor laws. This allows you to focus on your business while the EOR handles the legal and administrative complexities of hiring in Trinidad and Tobago.

Paying your team in Trinidad and Tobago is straightforward. The country has a clear system for payroll and compensation. You'll find that the laws are designed to be fair to both you and your employees. This guide will walk you through the key things you need to know.

Payroll cycles & wage structure

In Trinidad and Tobago, most companies pay their employees monthly. This is the standard and most common payroll cycle. Some industries, like retail or manufacturing, might pay weekly or bi-weekly, but monthly is the norm.

When you pay your employees, you must provide them with a payslip. This document should clearly show their earnings for the period, any deductions made for taxes, and their National Insurance System (NIS) number. Payments are usually made through a direct bank transfer.

Overtime & minimums

The standard work week is 40 hours, typically eight hours a day, Monday to Friday. If an employee works beyond these hours, they are entitled to overtime pay.

• First four hours of overtime: 1.5 times their regular pay rate.
• After the first four hours: 2 times their regular pay rate.
• Work on holidays: 2 times their regular pay rate.

As of January 2024, the national minimum wage is TTD 20.50 per hour.

Employer taxes and contributions

As an employer in Trinidad and Tobago, you are responsible for a few key contributions. These are calculated as a part of your employee's earnings.

Employee taxes and deductions

Your employees also contribute to national systems through deductions from their pay. You are responsible for withholding these amounts and remitting them to the government.

In Trinidad and Tobago, employee benefits are a mix of legally required protections and common practices that help you attract and keep great talent. The law sets the minimum, but many companies offer more to stay competitive. Understanding both the mandatory and expected benefits is key to building a strong team.

Statutory Leave

Here are the leave benefits required by law.

• Maternity Leave: Female employees with at least 12 months of continuous service are entitled to 14 weeks of maternity leave. They receive one month's full pay and a maternity benefit from the National Insurance System (NIS).
• Sick Leave: While there is no universal law for paid sick leave, a common practice is to offer 14 days per year. This is often guided by practices in the public sector and specific industry wage orders.
• Vacation Leave: After working for one year, employees are generally entitled to paid vacation, typically ranging from two to five weeks. The exact amount is usually defined in the employment contract.

Public Holidays & Regional Holidays

Employees are entitled to a paid day off for public holidays. There are no separate regional holidays for Tobago.

Typical Supplemental Benefits

To build a competitive benefits package, many employers offer more than the legal minimum.

How an EOR Can Help with Setting Up Benefits

Setting up a competitive and compliant benefits package in a new country can be complex. An Employer of Record (EOR) simplifies this process for you.

An EOR helps you:

• Ensure Compliance: We navigate all local labor laws to make sure your benefits meet the legal requirements.
• Offer Competitive Packages: We provide insight into local market expectations, helping you offer benefits that attract top talent.
• Simplify Administration: We handle the enrollment and management of all benefits, from health insurance to pension plans.
• Save Time: You avoid the need to establish a local entity or become an expert in Trinidad and Tobago's employment regulations. You can focus on growing your business.

When an employment relationship ends in Trinidad and Tobago, you need to follow a clear process. This process, known as termination and offboarding, ensures you treat your employees fairly and comply with local laws. The termination of employment is not governed by a single piece of legislation, but rather by a combination of common law and specific acts, like the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act. You must have a just cause for termination, such as poor performance or misconduct. The offboarding process involves several steps, including conducting an exit interview, ensuring the return of company property, processing final pay, and updating records.

Notice Periods

When terminating an employee, you must provide them with written notice. The length of the notice period depends on how long the employee has worked for you. While some sources suggest a general notice period of one month, the specific requirements can vary based on the employment contract or collective agreements. It is also possible to provide payment in lieu of notice, which means you pay the employee the wages they would have earned during the notice period instead of having them work.

Severance Pay

Severance pay is mandatory in certain situations, primarily governed by the Retrenchment and Severance Benefits Act. An employee's eligibility for severance often depends on their length of continuous service.

Here’s a simple breakdown of how to calculate severance pay:

How Rivermate Handles Compliant Exits

When you partner with an Employer of Record like Rivermate, we manage the entire termination and offboarding process for you. We ensure that every step complies with the specific legal requirements in Trinidad and Tobago.

Here’s what we do:

• Ensure Just Cause: We help you document valid reasons for termination to avoid potential disputes.
• Manage Notice Periods: We calculate the correct notice period for each employee based on their service length and contractual agreements.
• Calculate Final Pay: We handle the accurate calculation of all final payments, including outstanding wages, accrued vacation, and severance pay.
• Handle Paperwork: We take care of all the necessary documentation to ensure a smooth and compliant exit process.
• Mitigate Risk: Our expertise in local labor laws helps protect you from the risks of unfair dismissal claims.

Any non-national needs a work permit to be employed in Trinidad and Tobago. This applies whether the work is paid or unpaid. The only exception is for individuals working for a single period of thirty days or less within a year. The Ministry of National Security is in charge of issuing work permits. Generally, work permits are issued for up to three years and can be renewed.

Employment visas & sponsorship realities

An Employer of Record (EOR) can legally hire and sponsor work permits for foreign employees in Trinidad and Tobago. This means you don't need to set up your own local entity to employ someone there. The EOR takes on the legal responsibilities of the employer, including handling employment contracts, payroll, taxes, and benefits.

Here are some practical points about sponsorship:

• EORs handle the process. They manage the work permit application and ensure everything complies with local labor laws.
• Justification is key. The employer must show that a foreign national is being hired because the skills are not available locally.
• It takes time. The entire process, from initial application to receiving the final permit, can take several months.

While an EOR can sponsor most work permits, there can be limitations due to country-specific visa quotas. It is always best to check with the EOR about your specific situation.

Business travel compliance

For short-term visits, many foreign nationals, including those from the United States, do not need a visa to enter Trinidad and Tobago for business or tourism. These visa-exempt stays are typically for 90 days or less.

Keep these compliance points in mind for business travel:

• No work allowed. A business visit does not permit any form of employment, paid or unpaid. For any work, a work permit is required.
• Valid travel documents. Travelers need a passport that is valid for at least three months longer than their intended stay and a return ticket.
• Know the rules. It's illegal to wear camouflage clothing in Trinidad and Tobago, and doing so could lead to detention and confiscation of the items.