Hundreds of Palestinians have been gathering in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Hebron to protest against a controversial new social security law.
Under the new legislation, all workers are required to pay the same percentage in contributions to the Social Security Corporation (SSC), whether they receive the minimum wage or not. In addition, the families of Palestinians killed as a result of the Israeli occupation are not eligible to receive SSC benefits, which are limited to those who have lost a family member due to natural causes or work-related injuries.
The Palestinian Cabinet has said that, despite the protests, it intends to implement the law as planned, starting with organisations that employ more than 200 workers.
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network, one of several bodies that opposed the legislation in its original form in 2016, has called for a broad national dialogue on all of the proposed amendments. In particular, it is demanding that changes be made to the minimum wage in line with living costs that have been on the rise since 2013, according to the Middle East Monitor.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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Hundreds of Palestinians have been gathering in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Hebron to protest against a controversial new social security law.
Under the new legislation, all workers are required to pay the same percentage in contributions to the Social Security Corporation (SSC), whether they receive the minimum wage or not. In addition, the families of Palestinians killed as a result of the Israeli occupation are not eligible to receive SSC benefits, which are limited to those who have lost a family member due to natural causes or work-related injuries.
The Palestinian Cabinet has said that, despite the protests, it intends to implement the law as planned, starting with organisations that employ more than 200 workers.
The Palestinian Non-Governmental Organisations Network, one of several bodies that opposed the legislation in its original form in 2016, has called for a broad national dialogue on all of the proposed amendments. In particular, it is demanding that changes be made to the minimum wage in line with living costs that have been on the rise since 2013, according to the Middle East Monitor.
Emma Woollacott is a freelance business journalist. Her work has appeared in a wide range of publications, including the Guardian, the Times, Forbes and the BBC.
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Payroll practices in Gulf Cooperation Council countries
Jordan publishes amended income tax bill
Navigating important acronyms in Saudi Arabia and the UAE
