Refund / Return of the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) Received by Workers

In an Advisory issued on 2 June 2020, the Social Security System (SSS) announced the requirement to refund or return the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) received by employees under certain instances, discussed below. The directive is based on the SBWS Program Task Force Resolution No. 2. The instances when the refund/return is required, and the procedure for the refund, are discussed below.

Refund / Return of the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) Amounts

WHO ARE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE

The following are required to refund or reimburse the amount disbursed by the SSS under the SBWS program:

  • 1. Employers who fail to maintain the employment status of their employee-beneficiaries within the original SBWS period, from 17 March 2020 to 31 May 2020. [Note: That is a reproduction of the SSS Advisory. The text of Resolution No. 2, however, provides that the return policy covers employers who “failed to maintain the employment status of all employee beneficiaries before the ECQ and other forms thereof and throughout the SBWS.”]
  • 2. Employee-beneficiaries who resign during the period when enhanced community quarantine, modified enhanced community quarantine, or general community quarantine, is imposed in the region or local government unit where the place of business of his/her employer is found. [Note: The full text of Resolution No. 2 reads: “Employees who resigned during the period of ECQ and other forms thereof imposed in Luzon and other parts of the country shall return to the government the amount of wage granted.”]
  • 3. Employers who misrepresented in their application any material fact relevant to the eligibility of their employees.

VOLUNTARY RETURN

Voluntary return of the amount received under the SBWS program shall be accepted until 15 June 2020. Payment is to be made at the nearest Landbank branch; over-the-counter deposit to the Bureau of Treasury (BTr) bank account with the following details: 

  • Land Bank Account Number: 0012-1188-80
  • Account Name: Refund of Small Business Wage Subsidy

Upon deposit of the subsidy amount, the employer or employee must submit the scanned copy of the validated deposit slip to the SSS by email at SBWSSreturns@sss.gov.ph with the following information:

For employers:

  • 1. Name of employer and SSS ID number
  • 2. Name(s) of employees(s)
  • 3. SSS number and amount deposited for each employee
  • 4. Reason for the return
  • 5. Total amount deposited
  • 6. Date and time of deposit

For employees:

  • 1. Name of employee and SSS number
  • 2. Name of employer and SSS ID number if known
  • 3. Reason for the return
  • 4. Date and time of deposit

INVOLUNTARY RETURN

Upon determination by the Commission on Audit during its post-audit of the SBWS Program that an employer or an employee committed an act on the ground of which an employer or employee is deemed liable to return to the government the amount of wage subsidy granted, or upon discovery of fraud by the DOF, SSS or BIR, a letter shall be issued by the SBWS Program Task Force demanding the return of the said subsidy within fifteen (15) calendar days from receipt thereof. 

The non-compliance with the demand for return within the prescribed period shall be basis for the filing of criminal and/or civil action, whichever is appropriate.

[For more details on the return policy, refer to the full text of Resolution No. 2. On the other hand, for those who are eligible but was not covered, see the Grievance Procedure under Resolution No. 4. Refer to the guidelines on non-duplication of SBWS, CAMP and SAP benefits under JMC 2-2020.]

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92 thoughts on “Refund / Return of the Small Business Wage Subsidy (SBWS) Received by Workers

  1. levy

    ask ko lang po, deadline po ng refund is june 15, 2020, wala na po bang extension? di po kasi namin nadeposit yong refund on the said due date. thanks

    Reply
  2. Ray

    kung ngayon july mag resign kasi wala pa din update ang company na makablik sa work.. dapat pa din buh isa uli ang sbws?

    Reply
  3. JemJem

    Hi Paano po if naka maternity leave ako ng March 11, 2020 to March 23,2020. Tapos po nakareceive ako ng First tranche nung May 07,2020 at second tranche ng May 28 , 2020 tapos binabawi ng employer ngayon po

    Reply
  4. James

    If I plan to resign on July 7, 2020. Should I still return the wage subsidy? Our company is based at Makati and Metro Manila is currently at General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

    Reply
  5. Han

    Hi. Pano po if stranded sa province si beneficiary employee and want to resign nalang kasi wala masakyan pabalik manila?

    Reply
  6. Shai shai Longasa

    Pwede pa po bang ibalik yung SBWS kahit October 2020 na, and yung account number ba ng landbank open pa yun? Salamat po sa sasagot.

    Reply
  7. Ian

    Atty,

    WFH po kami at walang sahod2x PERO nag apply yun company namin sa SBWS at qaulified naman.
    Pero ng makalipas ang ilang buwan at ibigay na dapat ang WFH salary namin instead nag declare
    sila ng deduction daw sa SSS kasi di daw qualified. Pero sila nag sabi na wag lang mag ingay kay SSS para maka avail sa SBWS, obligado po ba na mag refund kami?

    Reply

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