SSC dismayed at compliance of self-employed with amended law

AMMAN — The Social Security Corporation (SSC) has expressed disappointment at the turnout of self-employed persons to subscribe to the agency after it has become mandatory.

An amended version of the law that provides for such a change in SSC law went into effect in January, making it obligatory for this category, including shopkeepers and craftsmen, to start paying contributions.

Since then, according to SSC spokesperson, Musa Sbeihi, only 5,727 have complied with the new rule, out of “tens of thousands” of self-employed persons. 

In a statement, Sbeihi blamed the lack of law abidance on “low awareness of the importance of subscribing to the SSC”. 

This decision aims at protecting self-employed persons and ensuring they benefit from the advantages of the system, including insurance against old age, loss of job for health reasons and death, he said, noting that this segment of workers in particular is subject to occupational hazards more than their peers in other sectors. 

To be eligible to join the system, would-be subscribers have to be over 16 years old and below 60 for males and below 55 for females if they have not joined the SSC before, the spokesperson added, citing the 2014 Social Security Law. 

Also, they should not be subject to other obligatory retirement systems.