Covering all public transport drivers under SSC a major challenge — Rawabdeh

AMMAN — The Social Security Corporation (SSC) started offering obligatory coverage to drivers of public sector transport vehicles as of January 1, 2015, under the new Social Security Law, SSC Director Nadia Rawabdeh said Tuesday.

Speaking at a meeting with heads of unions representing drivers and owners of public transport vehicles, Rawabdeh said drivers — be they business owners, partners or self-employed — are covered under all of the SSC’s insurance services, such as old age, disability, death, work injuries and unemployment.

But she noted that expanding the insurance coverage of this sector is a major challenge for the SSC due to its “disorganisation”, as self-employed drivers constitute the majority, with no level of social security coverage.

The SSC, Rawabdeh added, has met the demands of unions representing drivers and owners of public transport vehicles, which account for 40,000 self-employed drivers.

The corporation will coordinate with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Department to ensure that public transport permits are only renewed once the drivers obtain a document from the SSC showing they are legally subscribed, she said. 

Unionists at the meeting called for launching a media campaign to raise drivers’ awareness of the importance of subscribing to the SSC, expressing support for the corporation’s efforts to include self-employed drivers under its umbrella.