The Director General of the Social Security Corporation, Dr. Hazem Al-Rahahleh, said that one of the most important amendments included in the amended draft law on security is to improve the social protection system to be more solid and protect the limited and middle-income groups, in addition to supporting the financial sustainability of social security in a manner that serves future generations.
During a meeting organized by the Jordanian Businessmen Association in cooperation with the Jordanian Academics Association yesterday evening, Monday, Al-Rahahleh said that about 10,000 families of orphans will be able to benefit from the pensions of their joint or retired inheritor if the amended draft law is approved.
During the past few days, Al-Rahhala held several meetings with civil society organizations to discuss the proposed amendments to the Social Security Law and their justifications.
Al-Rahahleh confirmed that about 18,000 retirees have benefited from the increase in the minimum pension, as well as enabling more than 20,000 families of participants and retirees to benefit from higher education support that will be provided by the proposed social solidarity account, as part of the new measures to expand social protection.
He explained that the draft law will allow about 50,000 early retirees to benefit from the annual increase related to inflation next May, noting that this measure falls within the package of measures proposed to protect retirees with low and medium incomes.
He pointed out that the Corporation has already started preparing and preparing for the immediate implementation phase of the insurance in the event of the approval of the health insurance project through the formation of a specialized committee comprising experts from inside and outside the Corporation, which began its work about two weeks ago.
He added that the Corporation will make a change in the system of purchasing health services in a way that makes it more effective and able to guarantee distinguished health services for those covered by the insurance, pointing out that the introduction of insurance will make a qualitative leap in all areas related to the health care sector over the coming years.
For his part, the head of the Jordanian Businessmen Association, Hamdi Al-Tabbaa, stressed that any amendments to the law regulating social security concern the private sector, especially since any effects associated with these changes will be directly reflected on the activities and works of various economic sectors.
Al-Tabbaa said, “There is a difference in opinions about the new amendments, which has sparked a state of controversy. Therefore, the association decided, through this seminar, to answer all inquiries and questions from the private sector.”
He pointed to the rise in social security cuts, explaining that the Jordanian private sector is burdened with the burdens of workers’ wages and operating expenses, considering this one of the challenges of providing new job opportunities and one of the reasons for laying off the services of some workers, especially in light of the weak economic cycle and recession.
He stressed the importance of taking into account the costs of social security contributions if we want to combat the high unemployment rates.
During the meeting, which was moderated by the President of the Jordanian Academics Association, Dr. Khaled Al-Omari, they discussed the most prominent new amendments to the Social Security Law and their compelling reasons, and discussed the measures and procedures of the Social Security Corporation, expanding coverage and achieving a more sustainable retirement system.