Over 17,000 employees benefited from unemployment insurance scheme: Minister

A total of over 17,000 employees of all nationalities working in the country’s labour market benefited from the unemployment insurance scheme, which came into effect in January, with a total compensation amount of Dhs180 million until the end of April 2025, said Dr. Abdul Rahman Bin Abdul Manan Al Awar, Minister of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).

In a written reply to a question about the unemployment scheme asked by Dr. Adnan Hamad Al Hammadi, Federal National Council (FNC) member, Al Awar said the scheme covers employees in the federal government and private sector and aims to provide a low-cost social safety net that contributes to enhancing living stability and supporting the career path of state employees.

Financial safety

This is done by offering temporary financial support during the search for alternative employment against a nominal cost of Dhs5-10 per month, thereby providing a sustainable economic safety net without placing a financial burden on employees, he added.

If we combine the low subscription fee and the benefits the scheme provides makes the scheme an effective solution for enhancing the security and stability of the country’s labour market, he said.

“The law entered into force on January 1, 2023, granting public and private sector employees a ten-month grace period to join the scheme. At the end of this grace period, fines were imposed for failure to join the scheme starting from October 2023 to ensure that those covered by the scheme comply with its provisions and enable them to make use of the benefits it provides, most notably temporary protection from the consequences of job loss for reasons beyond their control.”

Nearly 7m staffers subscribe

Given the qualitative benefits it offers to subscribers, the unemployment insurance scheme has witnessed widespread acceptance since its inception, with the number of subscribers during the first year exceeding 6.8 million employees, he said.

It is noteworthy that this number included categories of employees who subscribed voluntarily without being legally obligated to do so, which reflected the level of awareness of the importance of the scheme and its benefits, he added.

A total of over 9 million insurance certificates has been issued to date including approximately 190,000 certificates issued to Emiratis, which reflected the expanding coverage of and growing confidence in this scheme as an effective tool for improving job stability, he said.

9 channels

The MoHRE, in co-operation with the Insurance Pool, has developed nine different channels that allow those covered by the scheme to subscribe to the service, which supports flexibility and ease of access to the service, taking into account all segments of subscribers (workers/employees) in the country.

Through the aforementioned channels, employees can log in directly using their ID number. This is done by linking the MoHRE and the Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) with the Bayanati system.

The system automatically identifies the insurance package category the employee is entitled to, enabling direct subscription according to the timeframe that aligns with all work systems.

The subscription amount can then be paid using a variety of payment channels, which the employee can choose from.

Subscription to the unemployment insurance scheme, from entering the ID number until payment is completed, takes less than five minutes and renewal less than two minutes. Once the payment is completed, an email is sent with a copy of the subscription contract, which is also available on the employee's dashboard on the home page of the Insurance Pool’s website and smart app.

“As for private sector employees, the MoHRE’s system has also been linked to the subscription mechanisms of the unemployment insurance scheme with the aim of protecting private sector employees from being fined," Al Awar said.

This feature has been linked to the service of issuing/renewing employment contracts to ensure that the employee subscribes and makes use of insurance benefits over a subscription period that is consistent with the contract period, he added.

Awareness drive

The MoHRE has developed an awareness plan for private sector employees through awareness workshops, visual and radio channels, social media, SMS. It has sent approximately 60 million SMS to all categories covered by the unemployment insurance scheme, explaining the channels and mechanisms for subscription and payment of insurance premiums.

It has also paid a series of field visits to establishments to encourage their employees to subscribe to the scheme. In addition, a call centre 600599555 has also been designated to answer enquiries and provide the necessary support to those dealing with the unemployment insurance scheme.

The MoHRE has also developed a notification system for customers regarding instalment payments/subscription renewals, so that employees are notified before and upon the expiry date of the policy. In addition, it has set up renewal reminders one month after the expiry of the policy via SMS and email to the employee.

In addition, the MoHRE has developed an employee compensation claim process, where employees can submit compensation claims through the website, smart app, and service provider’s call centre, without the need to attach supporting documents unless the employee chooses to provide additional supporting documents, Al Awar added, noting that the data is then retrieved directly through the MoHRE’s system.