More than five million sign up for UAE's unemployment insurance scheme

Initiative launched in January aims to provide a crucial safety net for those who lose their jobs

Five million workers have now registered for the UAE's unemployment insurance scheme. The National

More than five million workers have signed up for the UAE's unemployment insurance scheme since it was launched at the start of the year, authorities announced on Monday.

The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, in a post on social media, said the milestone figure had been surpassed.

The flagship labour policy aims to provide a vital safety net to people in the public and private sector if they lose their job.

The social security support programme, announced last May, pays Emiratis and residents a cash amount for three months if they become unemployed.

To receive unemployment financial support, people must be registered with the scheme and pay an insurance premium based on their monthly salary.

The number of workers registered in the mandatory programme surged in recent months – hitting the 2 million mark in May as the deadline to sign up approached.

Employers had initially been given until June 30 to join, with fines being issued for non-compliance on July 1.

Fines will now be issued only to people not registered for the service from October 1, the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation confirmed earlier this month.

Responsibility for registration is to up each employee.

Fines for failing to sign up before the updated deadline are set at Dh400 ($108).

How does the insurance scheme work?

The scheme covers workers from the federal and private sectors, including UAE citizens and residents.

Those who own the company at which they work, domestic staff, temporary contract workers, under 18s and retirees who receive a pension but have since started working again are all exempt from signing up.

The nominal subscription fee does not exceed Dh5 per month for workers earning basic monthly salaries of Dh16,000 or less, nor Dh10 per month for workers earning more than Dh16,000.

Workers also have the right to subscribe to additional insurance benefits.

The ministry called on employees who have not yet registered in the scheme to do so before the new deadline to avoid fines.

Subscriptions can be completed at www.iloe.ae.

To be eligible for compensation in the case of job loss, the insured person must have been registered in the scheme for no less than 12 consecutive months.

They must also submit an application requesting compensation within 30 days of leaving work, provided their employment was not terminated for disciplinary reasons, they have not resigned, or the compensation request was not found to be fraudulent.

Compensation payments are then suspended from the date the worker begins a new job or leaves the country.