On November 10, 2026, Belize’s leading umbrella labor organization, the National Trade Union Congress of Belize (NTUCB), has formally submitted a formal policy request to Prime Minister and Minister of Finance John Briceno, calling for the complete elimination of the 25 percent income tax currently levied on workers’ severance payouts, NTUCB president Ella Waight confirmed in an interview with local outlet News 5. Waight emphasized that the existing tax framework for severance pay is inherently inequitable, as a subset of private and public sector entities already hold special exemptions that shield their departing employees from the 25 percent deduction, while rank-and-file workers across most other industries are subject to the full levy. The union is demanding that this preferential tax-exempt status be extended universally to all workers who exit employment due to permanent disability, company-led retrenchment, or formal retirement, rather than remaining a privileged carve-out limited to a small group. Waight outlined that the tax deduction lands at an exceptionally financially vulnerable juncture for departing workers: after decades of full-time employment, retirees typically transition abruptly from a steady monthly salary to relying on a combination of their one-time severance payout and modest Social Security pension, with many low-income workers only eligible for a minimal Social Security grant that barely covers basic living costs. “Our core objective is to make this system fair for everyone, no exceptions, so that no worker who has dedicated years to the national workforce is forced to sacrifice a quarter of their hard-earned severance right when they need those funds most to transition to post-work life,” Waight stated, adding that dignified post-employment living standards for aging and displaced workers are a core priority for the union. The NTUCB is now formally calling on the Ministry of Finance to launch an immediate review of its existing severance tax policy, and to revise the regulation to extend full tax exemption on all severance payouts to eligible workers nationwide.