Social Security • Employer’s Philosophy • International HR Strategy

Defining the benefits of your internationally mobile personnel depends on statutory Social Security implications and on your company’s own employment philosophy.

Social Security

As a general rule, it is the country of employment which determines the employer’s Social Security obligations.

As to offshore personnel employed in the merchant marine, dredging, sea wind parks, floating storage, deep sea exploration and cable-laying, the Social Security of the vessel’s country of registration applies and its consequent provisions for personnel employed on board.

However in many parts of the world social security is lacking and public coverage is limited. Adequate protection is therefore essential for your internationally mobile and offshore personnel.

Employer’s philosophy

Every company is aware that Employee Benefits contribute to attract, retain, reward and protect an employer’s workforce, while affecting at the same time its employer’s image.

International employee benefits are however non-statutory and are therefore solely defined by the employer’s own HR-philosophy.

It is important to be aware that any HR-requirement regarding International Employee Benefits can be met by one of the following solutions :

  • While Group Insurances are always to be subscribed by the employer, their funding can either be employer-funded, employee-funded via payroll deduction or a combination of both.

  • Group Insurances can be subscribed for one single benefit up to all four benefits (Healthcare/Life/Disability/Pension), can be limited to specific personnel categories and can also include eligibility provisions based on seniority.

  • The subscribed benefits by the employer can provide very different levels of protection, varying from basic up to generous indemnities, with a few or many contractual exclusions.

International HR Strategy

The subscription of a dedicated international group insurance contract, whether for Life, Disability, Healthcare or Pension, is the ideal implementation tool for your company’s International HR Strategy.

An international group insurance contract:

  • Reflects the level of protection defined and granted by your company as international employer

  • Enables the creation of sub-entities (subsidiaries & cost centers) and also of different employment categories, each with its specific indemnities

  • Covers each eligible employee of your international workforce from 1st day of employment till last day of employment, with a 90 days notification period regarding personnel movements (joiners & leavers)

  • Provides more effective cover & cost solutions than domestic market group contracts

  • Pools your complete internationally mobile workforce, enhancing the transparency of annual claims statistics and facilitating renewal negotiations