By RASHAD ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net
SUPER VALUE President Rupert Roberts said yesterday the company will discontinue covering enhanced maternity expenses of its employees because an increase in staff pregnancies is affecting the company’s medical fund at a time when there has also been a significant increase in catastrophic care expenses.
In a memo to staff, the company said it will no longer cover maternity costs, “ie prenatal, delivery, postnatal or any other expenses pertaining to maternity”.
“We must keep our expenses within budget so that we will have funds available for emergencies and catastrophic illnesses,” the memo continued.
The memo confused some Facebook users who mistakenly thought the company has chosen to ignore the provisions of the Employment Act that prescribe the obligations of employers with respect to employees on maternity leave.
Speaking of how prevalent pregnancies have become among staff, Mr Roberts told The Tribune: “Pregnancies in young people in the past 24 months have really intensified. I have personnel who give me hiring and firing counts every week. Now I ask him to give me the pregnancies and birth numbers too. We were taking it in stride. It’s no problem covering the expenses but (senior staff) is seeing things in healthcare that is scaring them. We have a big reserve and they want to keep it big.”
Mr Roberts admitted he hopes the policy shift influences the sexual proclivities of his staff.
“It might discourage sex in the back room,” he said. “We find them in coolers and everywhere else, the warehouse; back shots are easy you know, sex is a pretty easy thing.
“I believe (going forward) girls are not going to think there is a particular advantage looking to work here because Super Value pays for pregnancies,” he said. “I think among the cashiers, they don’t care if they get pregnant or they say, ‘let me have my babies now if someone else is going to pay for it.’ Even husbands say, ‘let’s have the babies now, Super Value is paying.’ We were paying it every time. They loved it, the ones that were indulging in it.
“We have 750 beautiful women. Fellas came in and targeted them, got babies and don’t have to pay. We’re not going to put money up for that anymore, but instead for things like cancer and heart attacks and the like.”
Mr Roberts said executives did not survey staff before implementing the new policy. He said if there is significant pushback, he would encourage his team to reverse the policy.
“If they say, ‘give me the roses while I live, I’m not going to have cancer, get mashed up in an accident and have broken legs and be crippled all my life, I want my baby money now,’ I’ll say ‘okay let’s go for it, but then what are you going to do if you exhaust the fund and you have a life-threatening disease?’ I’m really surprised that something negative has come out of this. “Somebody may be jealous that we pay 100 percent medical expenses for all staff and that’s really unheard of in the world today that we do so.”
Mr Roberts said the food store chain will continue going beyond the requirements of the labour laws. Though it is not enrolled in an insurance plan, the company has one of the most progressive medical coverage policies in the country, he said.
“We don’t have insurance but anybody that gets sick we not only pay for it, my daughter and myself go down to Doctors Hospital with them, we go to PMH with them, we consult doctors, we work with the family.”
He said the company recently paid $70,000 for someone to get heart surgery. It paid $40,000 for someone else to get an operation.
“We have the best medical plans in the Bahamas and we take care of our staff,” he said.
Comments
SharAnWil 5 years, 9 months ago
Is this real?!?!?! :-o
realfreethinker 5 years, 9 months ago
LMFAOOOOO
joeblow 5 years, 9 months ago
Who in their right minds would view being a cashier as a career choice that would sustain a sensible family! What sensible person would have sex on the job?
Another sign of how low minded and unwise our black Bahamians are. So sad!
One 5 years, 9 months ago
Why "black Bahamians"? All races of Bahamians suffer from irresponsible and reckless social and economic practices. We need better education and respectable conduct from our civil servants and government officials. The people need the leaders of the country to hold them to a higher standard and the children need respectable role models.
joeblow 5 years, 9 months ago
The article is about Super Value employees!!!
How many of those employees are white when you visit any of their stores??
ohdrap4 5 years, 9 months ago
the prince charles chopping center has a white store manager and one cashier that i know of.
there was also a white man who looked like a troll who used to work for city meat but i think he retired.
there are white folks at solomons too. several, and at least one chinese.
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 9 months ago
Actually I don't think it's that strange, I remember years ago working at a small firm. The owner had gone away for a week so everyone was pretty much working under their own recognizance. The marketing manager showed up with her boyfriend and went in the managers office, thought that was strange, but I was young and innocent then. Lol. Recall working at two other firms where "scandals " erupted when it was found out that a group of men were all conspiring to sleep with the new young pretty girl. Amazing how the same scheme works in different "well respected" organizations, but it's a new young girl, in both cases it was someone with one of the lower paying jobs. . I think this happens a lot.
ohdrap4 5 years, 9 months ago
pregnancy can be catastrophic !!
TalRussell 5 years, 9 months ago
Here we go regular comrade Tribune bloggers and some appearing out cracks for an opportunity pour hot pepper on anyone with a Vagina - while excusing the gender based obviously discriminatory actions of a company which has be inviting a constitutional challenge with multi millions dollars in damages being awarded. Have you no shame when these actions rises above and are wider reaching than couple employees 'allegedly' caught F------ in stores freezers or back rooms............... with no evidence offered that they were actually making babies on the job...... not that it doesn't happen in law offices, government offices, doctors offices and even preacherman''s offices.
bogart 5 years, 9 months ago
I hopes dey..... washes dey hands ....before touching da merchandise an fixing da tings on da shelves...not to forgets the meats too...!!!!
infoseeker 5 years, 9 months ago
I was just thinking the same thing. Anyone found doing this in this type of job should be fired, it's a health risk. Just nasty. Thanks for telling me this now I don't want to shop there anymore.
banker 5 years, 9 months ago
Da Bahamian reach home afta work and tell da woman "I get fire from Super Value today!"
Wife go "What da ...?".
He say "Dem boyz who stock shelfs say dat I een man enuff to put my binness in da meat grinder. I get so tire of dem raggin' on me, dat today, in front of errybody, I whip down ma pants, an shove my binness in da meat grinder!".
Wife wide-eyed say "What happen den?".
"I get fired. Meat grinder -- she get fire too!".
joeblow 5 years, 9 months ago
It won't be long before these degenerates are on the job smoking their 'medical' marijuana in between 'getting their 'business' fixed in the backroom!
TalRussell 5 years, 9 months ago
by TalRussell
John 5 years, 9 months ago
If you live in a house with only two bedrooms and five other people and don’t have no car then you have to sneak ‘one Lil piece ‘ on the job. One time you could go on the beach Evergreen Motel) or behind the stores but the girls may get raped and you robbed. And besides the police may pull up on you shooting. But someone say Roberts is the one who taught the cashiers ho to ‘sneak on Lil piece ‘ on the job especially when they have ride picking them up and have to go straight home.
Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 9 months ago
Roberts is only doing what he has to do to cope with the reality of the large and growing portion of our D- educated society that owes its 'Roots' (pun fully intended) to the failed social and economic policies of the corrupt administrations over the past 45+ years led by the likes of L. O. Pindling, H. A. Ingraham, P. G. Christie and, now, the dimwitted Doc. Roberts is an astute businessman and knows full well that the recent 60% increase in VAT will only exacerbate the explosive growth in pregnancies he has observed in recent times. When people become 'dirt poor' with absolutely no financial resources to engage in any other social activities, nature just compels them to resort to the one remaining activity of instant gratification that is free of VAT, customs duties and other government fees and taxes for the fleeting moment: SEX, usually of the unprotected kind accompanied by not only pregnancies but a growing incidence of HIV cases. You can bet Minnis and Turnquest did not factor such great societal costs into their thinking when they made their irrational (frankly insane) decision to increase VAT by 60% thereby sending the cost of living to the moon.
TalRussell 5 years, 9 months ago
Ma Comrades,,let this sink in - before you rush post in defense of "“I believe (going forward) "girls" are not going to think there is a particular advantage looking to work here because Super Value pays for pregnancies,” he (Rupert} said. “I think among the cashiers, they don’t care if they get pregnant or they say, ‘let me have my babies now if someone else is going to pay for it.’ Even husbands say, ‘let’s have the babies now, Super Value is paying.’ We were paying it every time. They loved it, the ones that were indulging in it." Might I remind we are way beyond January 10, 1967 symbolizing the promise of equality, a level workplace playing field, and fair play for all Bahamalanders.... including "woman's": - not girls. If this does not raise Constitutional issues.... then rips up we Constitution. and invite Queen across pond to PLEASE take us backs as colony.
John 5 years, 9 months ago
But look at the hypocrisy of Roberts own statements: The best time to have babies, even for married couples, is when you are employed and can receive some benefits. Not when your unemployed and have to run to Social Services for cream and pampers. And quick as they does be changing cashiers in Super Value it’s surprising that many does be there long enough to get pregnant.
bogart 5 years, 9 months ago
Mr Roberts says that "if there is significant pushback, he would encourage his team to reverse the pllicy".....now dats a darn good bossman doing more dan most odder bosses........... .........he is one astute businessman........done feedin generations of Bahamians........year after year....hurricane after hurricane.....stability.......what ever woudda happen to Bahamians iffin dere was no Supervalue
Grocery Store....? .an .how come Rupert Roberts aint gets one a den national hero awards...???....all dese years providing a stable business environment.....always has a well stocked stores....huge variety of items..fresh produse...an one of the biggest supporters of buying Bahamian produce .from da local farmers.....How come errery body else getting award an Roberts aint even gets one SIR....title or a local award yet...?????
ohdrap4 5 years, 9 months ago
he would have if he had not joined the dna and appeared on a photo with mccartney and rodney moncur.
THE TRIBUNE, MAY 5, 2014
licks2 5 years, 9 months ago
He don't "cut-fuss" with anybody. . .he is the Rodney Moncur of the white Bahamians. . .ya see for yasef. . .that dude een checkin fer nobody!! He deserves one of them awards for true. . .
TalRussell 5 years, 9 months ago
Ma Comrade Rupert s would best be advised walk thought implementing this policy change right out he mind ... but he's his only Shareholder.
Alex_Charles 5 years, 9 months ago
Backshots?
The footsore is a den of Big Juicers now? lol
bahamian242 5 years, 9 months ago
So you just pay to have babies? Well who pays for them to live? That's why you have so many picky head, snotty nose, nasty children crying all over the place needing something to eat!
banker 5 years, 9 months ago
and eventually get guns
TalRussell 5 years, 9 months ago
Our Comrade Lord Jesus, lead us as company owners and those designated as counters of weekly fornication's activities in walk in meat freezers for a better understanding of how different workers respondent differently to sexual urges. - John 8 describing what Jesus bent down to writes in sand -
TheMadHatter 5 years, 9 months ago
Tal, i don't know if it's possible to say anything more silly than you have done here today. The man said he will pay for broken leg, or for dey baby daddy third leg from 9 months ago It's up to them. If they want to have babies all the time while they can't pay their light bill, that's their choice. Roberts is even sell condoms in there, even the Magnum brand what is fit dem big meat grinders - so there's no excuse.
Don't forget, at the end of the day YOU the customer is actually paying the bill thru the cash register. Along with public school fees and govt clinics - you ever stopped to think of how many "foster" children you have by way of helping to pay for them? Every Bahamian probably has 7 children, in effect, due to various subsidies.
I know it's beyond the knowledge of most over-the-hill residents, but it is a fact that every time you "grind" you don't have to drive to PMH maternity ward.
TalRussell 5 years, 9 months ago
Ma Comrade The Mad, training for Managers and Fornication Counters should be carried out all Rupert's stores - How begin providing free Condoms under new sex walk in freezers workers benefit,,,, are you not equally curious how you gets promoted (demoted) becomes Fornication Counter reporting weekly - directly Rupert... Thinking you'd have have good sense Grinding Detection..... Think they've ever had page the staffer with the First Aid Cardiopulmonary resuscitation equipment to the walk in freezer? { Can't make this walk in freezer fornication stuff up}.
truetruebahamian 5 years, 9 months ago
About time, Mr. Roberts, you were too generous by offering what you did for so long. I would never have even embarked on that road, wait until you get married and get home then deal with it along with your husband. Your problem - don't even try and make it mine!
truetruebahamian 5 years, 9 months ago
I would suggest he spend his money on a spay and neuter programme instead!
hrysippus 5 years, 9 months ago
I think Richard Lightbourne already suggested that and it did not meet with universal approval from the illiterate electorate.
ThisIsOurs 5 years, 9 months ago
Lol, whoever comes up with the headlines needs a raise ROTFL
pablojay 5 years, 9 months ago
I do not understand why Mr. Roberts was doing this . Doesn't he know that he is a white man? Who does he think he is, Frankie Wilson or Bradley Roberts?
SP 5 years, 9 months ago
LOL...Smart ass Rupert Roberts predominantly hired all Haitians as cashiers and now they are breeding like cockroaches as Haitians do and taking him to the cleaners!
G_O_O_D!
I hope the dam Haitians he loves so much continue to cost him big!!
sheeprunner12 5 years, 9 months ago
Soooooooo, the 750 cashiers are Haitians????? .......... Roberts has to keep his business viable .......... And do not fool yourself that casual or illicit sex does not happen in the Bahamian workplace.
bahamacatsman 5 years, 9 months ago
Predominately, cashier positions should be on part-time basis. Businesses like Super Value needs only to maintain a core group of reliable and mature cashiers on permanent basis. Supplement cashiers should be temps(temporary), thus precluding acompanying staff benefits for permanent staff members. Transitory staff for these type of businesses therefore especially in light of what is being discussed here would easily solve these issues and save SV a lot of expenses.
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