COUNTRY

In USVI, an employment contract can be either written, verbal or implied. As a best practice, contracts should be in writing with the terms clearly spelled out to protect both the employer and employee. Common employment contract terms include:

• name of the employer and employee,

• nature and extent of service to be performed,

• location of the work,

• salary and intervals of payment,

• start date and duration (if for a fixed-term), and

• leave entitlements and other benefits.

The standard workweek in USVI is 40 hours. An employee must receive overtime pay for time worked that exceeds 40 hours in one week, five days in a row, or eight hours in one day. Employers must give employees 10 minutes of paid rest every four hours. The rest cannot be at the beginning or end of the work period or added to a meal period.

Employers are not required to provide sick leave to employees in USVI. However, eligible employees receive up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave as allowed under the U.S. Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Act.

Employers in the USVI do not have to provide maternity or paternity leave to employees. However, employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave as allowed under the U.S. Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) Act.

The USVI minimum wage is set yearly by the Wage Board. U.S. Federal law also sets a standard salary level for salaried workers which works like a minimum wage. Employers may use nondiscretionary bonuses to pay up to 10% of the standard salary level.

Employers in the USVI are not required to provide paid annual leave to employees, but many employers do. The number of days can vary depending on the industry and type of employment. Employees commonly receive 10 days of annual leave, which may increase based on years of service.

In USVI, the public holidays are:

• New Year's Day

• Three Kings Day

• Martin Luther King Jr.'s Birthday

• Presidents' Day

• Transfer Day

• Holy Thursday

• Good Friday

• Easter Monday

• Memorial Day

• Virgin Islands Emancipation Day

• Labor Day

• Puerto Rico Friendship Day

• Liberty Day

• Veterans Day

• Thanksgiving Day

• Christmas Day

• Christmas Second Day

Employers in USVI do not have to provide health insurance to employees. UVI offers National Health Insurance (NHI) which employers are required to contribute to. Employees can purchase NHI in addition to their private insurance policy.

Employment in the USVI is at-will. An employer can terminate an USVI employee for many reasons including negligent work performance, incompetence, absenteeism, and engaging in a conflicting business. Employees are not entitled to severance pay.