Amman, Feb. 4 (Petra) – Chair of the Economic and Social Council Musa Shteiwi on Wednesday said the national dialogue on proposed amendments to the Social Security Law revealed broad consensus on the need to curb early retirement, advance gender equality, expand coverage for vulnerable groups, support new and temporary forms of work in the informal economy, and diversify investment portfolios.

Shteiwi said participants also stressed the importance of preserving accrued rights and benefits for insured persons who met eligibility conditions under the current law prior to the introduction of any amendments.

Speaking at a press conference to announce the dialogue outcomes, Shteiwi said the discussions were guided by the findings of the eleventh actuarial study recently issued by the Social Security Corporation, which assessed its financial position and long-term sustainability. He said the outcomes were structured around three integrated pillars: governance, sustainability, and social protection and justice.

On governance, Shteiwi said the recommendations included separating the chairmanship of the Social Security Corporation’s board of directors from any ministerial position, and establishing an advanced leadership model through the appointment of a governor for the Corporation, similar to the central bank governor, or through an independent authority to ensure unified leadership and institutional stability.

He said the recommendations also called for revising the criteria for appointing Social Security representatives to the boards of companies in which the Corporation holds shares, reorganizing the Social Security Council, and strengthening governance of the Social Security Investment Fund’s board of directors.

On sustainability, Shteiwi said the recommendations focused on expanding insurance coverage, regulating early retirement as an exception rather than a standard practice, 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. He said the proposals also included gradually raising the maximum old-age retirement age to 63 for men and 58 for women, alongside incentives to encourage insured persons to remain in the labor market.

He added that the sustainability-related recommendations emphasized the need to curb insurance evasion, enhance compliance, and further develop the investment strategy of the Social Security Investment Fund.

On social protection and justice, Shteiwi said the 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 and ensuring fairness for hazardous occupations.

He said the 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 said the dialogue outcomes should be treated as an integrated reform framework, noting that implementation may require gradual phasing and the review of related legislation. It reiterated the need to fully preserve all acquired rights and benefits guaranteed under the current Social Security Law for insured persons who met the eligibility requirements before any amendments take effect.

//Petra// AJ