Dues up for
Social Security

Increase affects

employers and beneficiaries

National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contributions will increase three percent. Promulgated by Parliament in February, the measure will take effect in September.

The law has a five months retroactive effect (16 February 2017), to be settled starting from September.

Georges Aida, Director General of the Ministry of Labor, said: “Each employer, employee, and the government will pay an additional one percent to the NSSF health and maternity department, to finance the health coverage of beneficiaries older than 64.”

Previously, employers contributed 22.5 percent to the NSSF. This has increased to 23.5 percent. Employees will pay three percent instead of two percent, a 50 percent increase.

For instance, an employee whose salary is $1,000 will now contribute $30 to the NSSF. The employer will pay $235.

Fadlallah Charif, Member of the Board at NSSF, said that employees who retired before February 2017 will not benefit from health coverage. Employees who retired after February and have been benefiting from NSSF services for 20 years can benefit, but are required to pay $45 per month.

Aida said that the family of those covered will also benefit even if the insured person has passed away, but under a number of conditions. Spouses will not benefit from health coverage if they remarry. Spouses should not be benefiting from another public insurance party, and should not be registered in the commercial registry. Children may benefit from their father’s or mother’s health coverage until aged 18 unless the child is handicapped in which case the coverage will continue.