Social Insurance Records 137,000 New Workers Since Late 2024
The General Organization for Social Insurance in Syria has seen a marked increase in its efforts to expand the social security safety net. According to data released by the organization’s director, Hassan Khatib, 137,465 new workers have been registered in the organization’s records between the period of late 2024 and last September. During the same timeframe, 16,825 new establishments were brought under the social insurance umbrella.
These figures align with the organization’s broader strategy to enhance the enforcement of legal provisions and combat insurance evasion, a practice that has historically hindered the protection of workers’ rights. In a special statement, Khatib explained that the organization has intensified its oversight and field operations to ensure compliance. During this period, the organization conducted 10,307 inspection visits across various facilities. Furthermore, it issued 59,218 administrative decisions regarding attachments and the lifting of attachments as part of its legal measures to enforce financial obligations and ensure institutional operations adhere to the law.
To address insurance evasion, the organization has taken practical steps to open direct channels of communication with both employers and employees. This includes hosting dialogues and seminars aimed at simplifying administrative procedures and removing obstacles that might hinder the registration process. Khatib emphasized that the organization is implementing strict measures to address corruption, which previously resulted in the loss of worker rights and negatively impacted institutional efficiency.
The director noted that the intensified inspection schedule has positively influenced the growth of the subscriber base. This expansion contributes to safeguarding the rights of all parties involved in the production process and helps maintain a balance between their rights and duties. Additionally, these measures are expected to bolster the organization’s revenues, thereby increasing its capacity to meet financial commitments toward retirees and beneficiaries. These improvements are also intended to enhance the general work environment, increase productivity, and support economic activity nationwide.
Khatib also revealed active efforts to amend the Social Insurance Law. The proposed amendments include establishing more effective controls to curb insurance evasion and defining clear objectives to improve the law’s flexibility and transparency. These modifications aim to achieve a precise balance between the interests of the organization, retirees, and employers, while ensuring that national legislation aligns with international agreements ratified by Syria. This process is intended to bring the national insurance system into compliance with required international standards.
The General Organization for Social Insurance is the entity responsible for implementing the social insurance system for workers in both the public and private sectors. Its services and benefits include retirement pensions, disability coverage, work-related injury compensation, and other fundamental insurance rights for subscribers.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
