Amman: Chair of the Economic and Social Council, Musa Shteiwi, announced on Wednesday that the national dialogue concerning proposed amendments to the Social Security Law concluded with a wide agreement on several key issues. The dialogue emphasized curbing early retirement, promoting gender equality, expanding social security coverage for vulnerable groups, supporting new and temporary work forms in the informal economy, and diversifying investment portfolios.
According to Jordan News Agency, Shteiwi highlighted that participants stressed the necessity of preserving accrued rights and benefits for insured individuals who have met eligibility conditions under the current law before any amendments are introduced. Speaking at a press conference to reveal the dialogue's outcomes, Shteiwi stated that the discussions were informed by the findings of the eleventh actuarial study released by the Social Security Corporation, which evaluated its financial position and long-term sustainability. The dialogue outcomes were structured around three integrated pillars: governance, sustainability, and social protection and justice.
On the governance front, Shteiwi mentioned that recommendations included separating the chairmanship of the Social Security Corporation's board from any ministerial role and establishing an advanced leadership model. This could involve appointing a governor for the Corporation, akin to a central bank governor, or forming an independent authority to ensure unified leadership and institutional stability. Additional recommendations involved revising criteria for appointing Social Security representatives to company boards where the Corporation holds shares, reorganizing the Social Security Council, and strengthening governance of the Social Security Investment Fund's board.
Regarding sustainability, Shteiwi pointed out that recommendations focused on expanding insurance coverage, regulating early retirement as an exception, increasing the minimum period of actual contributions required for eligibility, and narrowing the gap between early and old-age retirement in line with actuarial cost. Proposals also included gradually raising the maximum old-age retirement age to 63 for men and 58 for women, alongside incentives encouraging insured individuals to remain in the workforce. The recommendations emphasized curbing insurance evasion, enhancing compliance, and further developing the investment strategy of the Social Security Investment Fund.
In terms of social protection and justice, Shteiwi said recommendations called for regulating insurance coverage for groups with special insurance status, strengthening protection against work-related injuries and occupational diseases, enhancing income protection during unemployment and maternity, reducing pension disparities, and reforming early retirement by regulating risk-based exceptions to ensure fairness in hazardous occupations. Recommendations also addressed strengthening protection for families and beneficiaries in cases of death or disappearance, enhancing coverage for pre-existing natural disabilities, and reinforcing legal safeguards and procedural justice in insurance rights.
The Economic and Social Council noted that the dialogue outcomes should be viewed as an integrated reform framework and that implementation may require gradual phasing and a review of related legislation. It underscored the importance of fully preserving all acquired rights and benefits guaranteed under the current Social Security Law for insured individuals who met eligibility requirements prior to any amendments taking effect.