UAE’s job loss insurance: Dh400 fine for failing to register for scheme, reminds ministry

A Dh400 fine will apply on eligible employees who don’t sign up for the mandatory unemployment insurance scheme before the October 1 deadline. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) has called on all employees to register for the scheme to avoid penalties.

Close to 5 million people have already subscribed to the low-cost job security net that offers financial support for a limited period of time.

The compensation can be claimed as long as the employee has subscribed to the scheme for at least 12 consecutive months. The insured loses the right to compensation in the event that he/she cancels residency and leaves the country or joins a new job. The insurance claim will be processed within two weeks of submission.

The ministry said employers have the option to register their workers in the system, but “it is the employee’s responsibility to enrol in the system”.

The scheme applies to all workers in the private and federal sectors — both citizens and residents. Exceptions include investors (business owners who own and manage their business themselves), domestic workers, temporary employees, minors under the age of 18, and retirees who receive pension and have joined a new employer.

Subscriptions can be completed via the Involuntary Loss of Employment (ILOE) insurance pool website, the ILOE app, as well as kiosks, business service centres, exchange companies (such as Al Ansari), and bank apps.

The insurance scheme is divided into two categories. The first covers those with a basic salary of Dh16,000 or below, where the insurance premium is set at Dh5 per month. The maximum monthly compensation is set at Dh10,000.

The second category is for those with a basic salary exceeding Dh16,000. The insurance premium in this case is Dh10 per month. The monthly compensation for this category is capped at Dh20,000.

If an employee subscribes to the scheme, but fails to pay the premiums for more than three months from the due date, the insurance certificate will be cancelled and a penalty of Dh200 imposed.

The compensation is calculated at the rate of 60 per cent of the average basic salary in the six months before unemployment and paid for a maximum of three months for each claim. The employee in question must not have been terminated for disciplinary reasons or resigned.

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