jordan pulse -

Insurance and social protection expert and human rights activist Musa Al-Subaihi called for the 30-dinar pay raise, which the government approved for public sector employees and retirees, to be extended to social security retirees, stressing that excluding this group runs counter to the principles of social justice.

Al-Subaihi said that a number of social security retirees face double the cost of living, particularly early retirees and those receiving partial disability benefits due to injury, who do not benefit from the annual increase linked to inflation rates, which is implemented in May of each year.

He explained that the governing legislation requires early retirees and those with partial disability benefits to reach the age of 60 for men and 55 for women to qualify for this increase, which means they go for years without any adjustment to their pensions to keep pace with rising prices and the cost of living.

He noted that the circumstances of early retirees after leaving public sector institutions are becoming increasingly difficult, as they receive permanently reduced pension payments and do not benefit from the annual inflation-linked increase.

Al-Subaihi questioned why Social Security retirees were not included among the groups eligible for the government’s 30-dinar increase, on par with civilian and military retirees and public sector employees.

He stressed the importance of applying the increase to all retirees without discrimination, thereby helping to limit the erosion of their incomes and strengthen their ability to meet their basic needs, warning that continuing to exclude Social Security retirees would increase the economic and living pressures they face.