Circular extends Estidama, Himayah programmes until end of June 2022

AMMAN — Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Bisher Al Khasawneh on Monday issued Circular No. 52 of 2021 concerned with extending the Social Security Corporation’s Estidama (sustainability) and Himayah (protection) programmes until the end of June 2022.

The circular items are as follows:

First: 1- Items First and Second of Circular No. 45 of 2021 related to Estidama Programme shall be extended to the end of June 2022.

2- To implement Paragraph 1 of this item, the government allocated JD20 million and the Social Security Corporation commits to incurring 50 per cent of this amount.

Second: Item First of Circular No.17 of 2020 and all amendments related to Himayah Programme continue in force until the end of June 2022.

Third: 1- The wages subject to deduction in accordance with the provisions of Social Security Law No. (1) of 2014 for insured persons working in private sector establishments in January 2022 shall not be less than the wages that are subject to deduction in 2021.

2- The Director General of the Social Security Corporation may exclude any of private sector establishments or any of their employees from the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this article, according to the bases he/she issues for this purpose.

Fourth: Work on Item (Second) of Defence Order No. (15) of 2020 and the amendments thereto will continue until the end of June of 2022.

Fifth: Despite what is stated in Paragraph (4) of Clause (Fifth) of Defence Order No.15 of 2020, the establishments benefiting from Estidama Programme referred to in Paragraph (1) of Clause (First) of this circular, may reschedule the amounts due for the second time, in accordance with the provisions of Defence Order No.15 of 2020 and the amendments thereto.

Sixth: The phrase (until 12/31/2021) mentioned in item (Second) of Circular No.22 of 2021 shall be deleted and replaced with the phrase (until 06/30/2022).

Seventh: 1-The establishments benefitting from the Estidama Programme referred to in Paragraph (1) of Item (First) of this circular may reduce old-age insurance contributions by 50 per cent for all or some of their employees.

2- For the establishments that were benefiting of the Taafi (recovery) Programme, the old-age insurance contributions shall be reduced by 25 per cent for all or some of their employees.

3- For the purposes of this clause, the provisions of Paragraphs (5) and (6) of Clause (Second) of Defence Order No.14 of 2020 apply.

4- The period for benefitting from this item is six months, starting from January 2022 until the end of June 2022.

Eighth: The prime minister has the authority to amend any of the provisions of this circular under circulars he issues for this purpose.