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UAE: 130 ‘unexpected retirements’ over work-related injuries, disabilities in 2024
'If the committee approves a total disability, no minimum service period is required for pension eligibility', the authority said
- PUBLISHED: Tue 13 May 2025, 11:20 AM
Work-related injuries or disabilities led to 130 unexpected retirements among UAE employees last year, according to the General Pension and Social Security Authority (GPSSA).
Emiratis seeking retirement due to disability or a work-related injury may do so after undergoing a thorough medical evaluation approved by a designated medical committee.
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The GPSSA's Ma’ashi digital platform received a total of 479 applications for “work fitness assessment,” out of which 130 were approved.
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Both government and private sector employers are required to complete and submit the application once an individual is deemed medically unfit for work.
“Once the GPSSA receives the request, all necessary conditions are reviewed before submission to the relevant medical committee,” the authority explained.
“The committee then diligently reviews the documents, which must include:
A certified medical report issued by a UAE-based government hospital (dated within the past six months)
Results of the medical examination conducted at the time of employment
A copy of the valid Emirates ID
A recent passport-sized photo”
The committee, established by the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, evaluates each case to determine the presence of a total disability or health condition that renders the individual unfit to work based on the provisions of the pension and social security law.
“If the committee approves a total disability, no minimum service period is required for pension eligibility. In such cases, the insured individual’s contribution to the GPSSA is considered sufficient.”
Once approval is granted, the employer must complete the employee’s end-of-service file via the Ma’ashi platform and upload all required documents, including the medical committee’s decision.
Pension payments are then calculated and disbursed based on a minimum contribution period of 15 years. If the employee’s actual contribution period exceeds this, the pension is based on the full contribution duration.