Title: A Guide to Enhanced Pension Benefits: Understanding the ‘Faqh al-Essar’ Bonus and Support Allowances
In a move that underscores the government’s commitment to social welfare, detailed guidelines have been issued clarifying the various allowances and bonuses available to retirees and pensioners. This initiative provides a clear framework for beneficiaries to understand the full scope of their entitlements, reinforcing the state’s support system for its citizens.
Decoding the Pension Slip
The official breakdown specifies several key components that can appear on a retiree’s payslip, each designed to offer targeted financial support.
- Spousal Allowance: A family allowance is provided for one spouse and is extended to all retiree groups, including dependents, military pensioners, and those receiving annuities.
- Child Benefit: This allowance is granted for the children of dependents and military pensioners. It is also paid to a retired or pensioned woman without a spouse (divorced or widowed) or whose husband is fully disabled, provided she is the sole financial provider for the children.
- Sacrifice Bonus (Faqh al-Essar): This significant bonus is calculated and paid based on several factors, including the percentage of veterans’ disability, the duration of time spent as a prisoner of war, being a child of a martyr, and the length of service at the front.
- Medical Treatment Aid: This support is offered to subscribers diagnosed with specific conditions such as cancer, thalassemia, and other special diseases.
- Care Allowance: Retirees and employees with a minimum of 40% veterans’ disability or a 50% (or higher) service-related disability are eligible for this entitlement.
- Article 37 Medical Reimbursement: Amounts deducted for retirement, basic, and complementary health insurance are reimbursed to subscribers with a veterans’ percentage, military pensioners, and families of martyrs under this provision.
- Marriage Allowance: A one-time marriage grant is available to retirees, military pensioners, and their children. This is paid conditional upon a permanent marriage occurring after retirement or the end of service, and after the year 2000. The amount is equivalent to 6,500 times the official monetary coefficient of the year the marriage took place.
- Burial Assistance: This assistance is paid specifically upon the death of a retiree, military pensioner, or a dependent under their care, provided the death occurs after retirement or service and after late 1997. The amount is equivalent to 6,500 times the official monetary coefficient of the year of death.
Eligibility for the Sacrifice Bonus
The criteria for receiving the Sacrifice Bonus categorizes eligible retirees into two main groups:
- Group A: All individuals who retired before March 21, 2009.
- Group B: Those who retired after March 21, 2009, and whose pension is calculated and paid based on the scoring tables of Articles 109 and 110 of the State Management of Services Act and its subsequent amendments.
This structured approach to pension benefits highlights the ongoing efforts to ensure comprehensive support for retirees and their families, acknowledging their service and sacrifices.