UAE unemployment insurance scheme: Subscriptions now open

It is now possible to subscribe for the unemployment insurance scheme. Starting from early this morning, on January 1, 2023, subscriptions have officially opened on the Involuntary Loss of Employment website.

The mandatory scheme, which was recently announced by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE), provides a job safety net that supports employees while providing them with career stability at no cost on employers. It stemmed from the Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2022.

Under the scheme, all UAE nationals and residents working in both the private and federal sector are entitled to 3 months cash compensation if they lose their job as a result of termination – except if it was due to disciplinary actions or resignations.

For individuals earning a basic salary of Dh16,000 or less, the subscription fee is Dh5 per month while for individuals whose basic salary exceeds Dh16,000 the subscription fee is Dh10 per month. Subscription fees can be paid either monthly, quarterly, once every six months or annually.

To be eligible for the compensation, which is 60 per cent of the basic salary earned during the last six months prior to termination, individuals have to be subscribed for at least 12 consecutive months. If the individual leaves the country or finds a new job then they lose the right to the claim.

The exempted categories for the scheme are: Investors or owners of establishments in which they work, domestic workers, temporary contract workers, juveniles under 18 years, and retirees who receive a pension and joined a new job.

Earlier this week, MoHRE urged all resident and UAE nationals to subscribe. In addition to the website, subscription to the program’s insurance pool, represented by Dubai Insurance can be done through one of the following channels: the smart application iloe, Kiosk machines, businessmen service centres, Al Ansari Exchange, bank ATMs and application, telecommunication bills.

Other regulations for the scheme include: no interruption in subscription for 3 consecutive months, commitment to pay all insurance premiums on time, providing proof that the reason of unemployment is not resignation, submitting the claim within 30 days from date of loss of the work relationship, or the settlement of the labour complaint referred to the judiciary and the insured worker should not have an existing complaint related to the absence from work.

In addition, the insured shall not be entitled for compensation if there has been fraud or deceit involved in his claim, or if the establishment they work for is fictitious. The loss of employment should not be the result of non-peaceful labour strikes or stoppages, whether they result in harm or not and the insured must be legally present in the UAE.

Claims can be submitted through their various channels like the website, app or call centre and the payment will be processed two weeks from the date of the claim submission.

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