Senate committee rejects amendment granting lawmakers retirement benefits

AMMAN — The Senate’s Legal Committee on Tuesday endorsed 2019 amendments to the 2019 Social Security Law, while rejecting an article granting deputies and senators retirement benefits.

During the meeting, chaired by President of the Legal Committee Senator Kamal Barham, the committee passed the bill as referred from the Lower House, but rejected an amendment that makes members of Parliament eligible for old-age, disability and death insurances upon their request, with deductions calculated according to their monthly stipends.

The Senate, next Thursday, is expected to deliberate over the bill and the committee's decision, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

The Lower House on Sunday passed the 2019 amendments to the Social Security Law, raising the age of early retirement for men to 55 from 50, provided that each member has rendered at least 21 years of service, while the earliest age women can get their benefits is 52 with at least 19 years of service. In the current law, women can retire at any age as long as they have subscribed to social security for 19 years.

Another major amendment to the new bill allows Jordanian subscribers to dip into their social security savings to cover the costs of their children’s higher education or pay for medical treatment expenses for themselves or members of their families.

Experts criticised on Sunday the amendment granting pension benefits to parliamentarians, arguing that allowing them to become subscribers to the SSC’s insurances will put more pressure on the institution, especially since most are already covered.

Economist Mazen Marji said that MPs “are not employees, they are public servants, and thus they should not receive extra benefits or receive retirement based on their service at the Lower House or the Senate”.

MPs and senators should use the optional subscription and pay for it on their own while in office and even after, Marji added.