subject: Unemployment Benefits To Deserving Candidates: Uaes Ministry Of Social Affairs [print this page] The minister of Social Affairs in UAE, Mariam Al Roumi explained the reason for such a decision. She told the people of UAE that deserving citizens would receive the benefits. For example, an addict who is engaged in rehabilitation programs will receive benefits. For such persons, it is hard to get a job. However, for a person who was working and just quit wont receive any unemployment benefits. The minister further explained that her ministry role is to provide social help and not security. According to the law of UAE, those who are unable to work and cannot get jobs in UAE should receive unemployment benefits.
In the new rules on unemployment, the minister said newer categories are introduced in the country for receiving benefits. The recipients include single or divorced women. This new law is under study and is compared with worldwide practices before it goes for amendment.
She reasoned that in majority of the countries, there is the concept of poverty line and accordingly countries decide on the benefits. People living below the poverty receive assistance from government. In UAE, there is no such defined poverty line and hence it is difficult. The best possible way for them is comparing prices in several world economies and then deciding on the line of benefits.
Some members of the Federal National Council (FNC) of UAE cited examples of hardships faced by unemployed Emiratis. They did not receive the benefits for many years. Countering these claims, the minister said these are cases having some discrepancy. In answer to one of the examples by a FNC member, she said that someone with a high salary had further gone overseas to study. Accounts of such unemployed are frozen. The governments priority is undergraduate students. To prove her point further, she said that about 82% of Emiratis receiving benefits are happy.
Another group of FNC members highlighted cases of UAE nationals who live abroad. They return to UAE just for benefits and update data with government. For such cases, the minister told action would be taken and benefits will be stopped.
She said that it is only in UAE that a large number of people receive benefits from government. Most of the governments budget is spent on benefits. A large chunk of this unemployment benefits goes to Emirati women married to foreign nationals. The husbands, foreign nationals are not allowed to work in UAE. She said that new law should be amended and foreign nationals married to local women should allowed applying jobs in UAE
Elderly divorcees and widows are part of this new benefit plans. For this, the women are not required to show any proof as it is not under any presidential decree.
