The mandatory unemployment insurance scheme, launched in the UAE two years ago, has become a crucial safety net for staff in the country. All employed Emiratis and residents in the UAE are required to sign up for the Involuntary Loss of Employment insurance programme (ILOE). The employee must ensure the subscription is completed and renewed on time.
Who needs to sign up for ILOE?
All employees in the private and public sectors are required to sign up for the ILOE policy. It is the responsibility of the staff member to enrol in the initiative and renew the policy before it expires.
The scheme does not apply to the following groups:
- Investors or business owners
- Domestic workers
- Temporary or contractual workers
- Minors
- Retired people who receive a pension who may have started work for a new employer
You can subscribe or renew the policy on the ILOE portal or app. For an additional service charge, you can also subscribe through Al Ansari exchange house, government business centres, telecoms service providers, ATMs, payment kiosks and certain authorised apps. Such alternative channels can be found on the ILOE portal.
Categories and premiums
Employees can sign up to one of two categories – category A (basic monthly salary of Dh16,000 ($4,356) or lower) and category B (basic monthly salary of more than Dh16,000). The premium for category A is Dh5 a month, while it is Dh10 a month for category B. The premiums are subject to 5 per cent VAT.
Employees can pay on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual basis, with a policy running for one or two years. For those renewing the policy, the portal offers a one-time payment for two years.
After subscribing to the initiative, an employee receives an insurance certificate that includes the date the policy expires. The scheme is managed by Dubai Insurance, but other insurance companies are involved.
Employees must make timely premium payments based on their chosen plan and they are obligated to cover overdue payments within 90 days from the date they were due. If the premiums are not paid within this timeframe, the insurance certificate will be cancelled and a fine issued.
Benefits
The scheme provides people who lose their jobs with 60 per cent of their basic salary for up to three months, or until they find a new job, whichever is sooner.
For example, if your basic monthly salary is Dh10,000, you could receive Dh6,000 a month for up to three months. The monthly compensation paid cannot exceed Dh10,000 for claimants in category A, and Dh20,000 for category B.
If you change jobs and the new salary is in a different category, you should update the details on the ILOE portal and pay the new premiums as applicable.
Who can claim benefits?
Only those who meet the following criteria can receive benefits:
- Employees with a valid UAE residence visa
- Those who have been subscribed to the ILOE policy for at least 12 consecutive months
- The subscription must be active at the time of job loss, with no pending premium payments
- They should not have resigned or have lost their job as a result of disciplinary action
- They must not have lost their job for non-peaceful “labour strikes or stoppages”, whether they caused damage or not
- The claim should be filed within 30 days of losing their job
- The claim should not be based on fraudulent or incorrect information
- The claimant must not be employed in a temporary or part-time role
How to claim benefits
Employees must submit a claim for benefits using the ILOE app or website. You can also contact the customer care service team at 600 599 555 to submit a new claim.
To start the process, you will need to submit your Emirates ID number, an active UAE phone number and your date of birth. You will also need the letter of dismissal, including the reason for termination, and relevant work permit cancellation documents.
The insurer may ask for further documents to ensure your eligibility, including attested labour contracts, bank statements, evidence of visa cancellation and travel reports to prove your are a resident of the UAE. Once the claim is verified, the benefits will be paid to the account specified by the insurer within two weeks.
"A travel report issued by the Federal Authority for Identity Citizenship Customs and Port Security can be crucial in ILOE-related claims as it illustrates that the claimant or employee was present in the UAE at the time of termination, a factor that may otherwise be construed as abandoning the employment relationship, and raising suspicions about the authenticity of the claim," Abdullah Ishnaneh, partner at BSA Law, told The National.
Limits of coverage
If an employee receives the maximum benefit during the policy period – in one or more claims – the insurance policy will be cancelled. The employee must then subscribe to the scheme again, once they get a new job, and complete payments for 12 months before being eligible for future claims. This does not apply in cases where the benefit received is for less than three months during the policy period.
The policy coverage is limited to one year of unemployment benefits.
How to check fines
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation said employees who are not subscribed to the policy will be liable to pay a fine of Dh400. Those who do not keep up with premium payments – within 90 days from the due date – face a fine of Dh200.
You can check fines using the ministry's website or app.
The ILOE portal can help employees going through the subscription, renewal or claim processes. The policy document on the portal also includes details of premium payments, the cancellation of insurance and other terms and conditions.
