The Teachers Service Commission has outlined steps to follow when filling death gratuity claims as it moves to ease the payment process.
It identified poor documentation, filing wrong declaration forms, family disputes and inability to trace the next of kin as main obstacles behind delayed payment.
The Commission advised employees to regularly update the next of kin form, dependants and contact details. Where there are two or more wives, all of them should fill the forms unless they agree to nominate one of them as their legal representative. Such an agreement must be in writing and signed by each of them.
Where the teacher and the spouse are both deceased, the children should nominate one of them to be paid on their behalf and ensure they have a written agreement signed by all
and witnessed by the area chief.
The Commission also encourages the next of kin of deceased teachers to seek assistance from human resource officers at TSC county and sub-county offices when filling and submitting the documents
required for processing the claims.
TSC only processes the claim then presents it to the National Treasury for payment.
According to the Pensions Act (Cap.189), the benefit is a lump sum (one off) amount payable to the legal representative or dependents of a teacher who dies while serving on permanent and pensionable terms of service.
The amount payable is equivalent to two years’ salary, calculated on the pay at the
time of death.
Mandatory documents required are: Declaration forms,Widows and Children’s Pension Scheme (GP 215) form -the widow/widower declaration form is filled by a husband/wife whose spouse has passed away, while the Dependants’ Declaration form is filled by children where both parents are deceased or the deceased parent was not married, or by a parent, sibling, or other guardian in case of a deceased teacher who was not married and had no children.
The GP 215 Form is filled, together with the dependants declaration form, by a parent, sibling, or other guardian in the case of a male deceased teacher who was not married and had no children.
10 Documents Required For Filling Gratuity Claims
1.Gratuity declaration form.
2.Widows and Children’s Pension Scheme (GP215 form).
3.Original Death Certificate.
4.Chief’s letter on original letter head introducing the next of kin and all dependents.
5.Certified copies of birth certificates for all children 24 years and below.
6.Certified copies of IDs for children above 24 years .
8.Certified ID of next of kin Copy of KRA Pin certificate for the next of kin.
9.Certified ATM card copy/bank plate for next of kin.
10.Letters from schools/institutions for children/ dependants who are 17 years and above.