The Social Security Fund offers exceptional solutions for delayed payment of retirees’ pensions

Benghazi, February 7, 2024 (Al-Anbaa Libya) – The Social Security Fund is an independent national institution that serves the Libyan citizen in the security aspect, which provides pensions and cash benefits to the participant after retirement, for a better life for himself and those he supports after him.
However, the Fund has several problems and obstacles that hinder the progress of work for beneficiaries of its services, including: How did the Fund address the problem of delayed payment of retirees’ pensions? What is the truth about troubled companies not meeting the conditions for voluntary retirement? Why are pensions paid to retirees in the Western Region later than others? The Libyan newspaper “Al-Anbaa” had all these questions in an interview with the Assistant Director of the Media Department of the Social Security Fund General Administration, “Khaled Oreth,” and he answered these questions.

-The law threatens the financial position of the Fund

Assistant Director of the Media Department of the Social Security Fund General Administration, “Khaled Oreth,” revealed the reasons for the Social Security Fund’s request to the House of Representatives to withdraw from including faltering companies in voluntary retirement legislation, in accordance with Social Security Law No. (13) of 1980, and its regulations stipulate a work period of twenty years. It is limited to public and legal entities in the state, as the government employee is the joint guarantor according to the text of the law, and the House of Representatives amended Law No. (1) of 2022, including companies, including troubled ones, provided that the condition of voluntary retirement is met without referring to the security institution that has jurisdiction, and in If its implementation is considered a threat to the financial position of the security institution, due to its reliance on subscriptions to pay cash dues to its beneficiaries, The committees were formed by jurists and technicians who consulted with the legislation committees in Parliament, and voted to abolish this paragraph.

– Pension assessment 6 months after referral to retirement

“Ureth” explained in his speech, the pension regulations emanating from Law No. (13) stipulate that if the person who is retired if his birth certificate does not include the day and month, his pension will be paid on the date 1-7 in the same year in which his retirement was issued, and many only mentioned the year. The problem in this aspect is that the referral of retirement to employees is issued according to the inclusion in the civil registry system on 1/1.

-Exceptional solutions

He also explained that the Chairman of the Board of Directors issued instructions to the branch managers on the necessity of disbursing what is called an “accumulated advance,” from his entitlements that will be paid to him after the pension is assessed. These are exceptional solutions until the committee finishes its work and the retiree is able to fulfill his financial obligations to his family.

-The banks of the western region were delaying deposits

Regarding the delay in salaries for retirees in the Western Region, the Assistant Director of the Media Department of the Social Security Fund General Administration said: The Fund is a sovereign institution that provides its services to all Libyans, without exception, and we were keen to disburse pensions at the beginning of each month, and it was with a humanitarian and social outlook for this segment, and for the Western Region in Tripoli, Misrata, Al-Jameel, Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi, Al-Naqaza, Zuwara, Al-Asaba, and our branches spread in the western region. The reason is that the disbursement in the banks of salaries transferred from the Fund on time was delayed, which is a maximum of the second week of the month, and it resulted in Disbursing pensions to those entitled to them, by depositing them in the accounts. What facilitated the solution to this problem is the “digitization” that the Fund has been working with for several years. Currently, pensions were disbursed for the month of January, which is the first month disbursed to the Western Region using the digital computing system, and currently all pensions are digitized.

-The Fund’s readiness to implement and raise the minimum pension

Regarding the possibility of raising the minimum salaries for retirees, “Ureth” reported, saying: We, as an executive institution, have many proposals, even raising the ceiling of the retirement pension to (900) dinars, and this was based on the proposals of the security institution regarding the necessity of raising pensions due to the high cost of living since the year 2011, and after implementing Resolution No. (900) it was disbursed. Of their accumulated two months, and currently the Foundation and the Retirees’ Syndicate are working with the executive bodies to spend the rest of the months, and there is a center affiliated with the Fund, which is the “Libyan Center for Actuarial Research and Studies,” and the Fund is ready to study any proposal related to raising the minimum ceiling for retirees’ salaries, but we are working in A state framework with executive bodies, a budget and allocations. The Fund is an executive body and can provide expertise and advice. If the government approves this proposal, it will be implemented immediately.

It is worth noting that the Social Security Fund has included among its strategic plans the horizontal expansion of model service offices, with the aim of providing service to all those entitled to it, and establishing many model offices for all villages, cities and towns throughout the country. Social Security Law No. (13) also covered everything that came from the International Labor Organization or the Arab Labor Organization. (Libyan News Benghazi).

Dialogue: Hoda Al-Sheikhi
-Photography: Walid Al-Haffar
-Edited by: Salima Al-Khafifi

You can also read the news in the source from the Libyan News Agency