By 
Our Affiliate, Fatima Alsayed expands on adjustments to rules of pensions and retirement allowances for presidency staff.
The principal regulation governing the pensions and retirement allowances for presidency staff is Legislation No. (13) of 1975 (the “Legislation”). On the 18th of April 2022, the Shura Council together with the Council of Representatives issued amendments below Legislation No. (13) of 2022 (the “Amendments “or “Amended Legislation”) to the provisions of the Legislation. Its provisions present enhanced monetary safety for workers working within the public sector by regulating their rights in the direction of an allowance after retirement.
Amended Definitions
Worker
Amendments throughout the Legislation have been made with the overarching intention of benefiting staff. Beforehand, the
worker was outlined as a Bahraini nationwide, between the ages of eighteen (18) and sixty (60) working as an worker within the public sector. The Amended Legislation now not specifies the utmost age throughout the definition of an worker, moderately solely particulars a minimal age of eighteen (18). A further factor was added below the identical definition specifying the time period of employment comparable to everlasting or non permanent positions below particular or indefinite time period contracts, receiving full or partial salaries with advantages.
Final Fundamental Wage
The final fundamental wage is outlined because the wage given for the final 5 years (versus being two years) previous to the date of retirement divided by 12. Nevertheless, the place the size of the worker’s service is lower than 5 years, then the final fundamental wage shall be calculated primarily based on the typical wage for the interval of employment .
Pension and Social Insurance coverage Fund
The Authorities Pension Fund established below the Legislation alongside the Normal Group for Social Insurance coverage
(“GOSI”) established by the Social Insurance coverage Act promulgated by Decree Legislation No. (24) of 1976 have now been merged below one fund titled “Pension and Social Insurance coverage Fund“.
Continuity of Employment
Article 4 of the Legislation determines the method of calculating the period of the worker’s service for retirement. With the amendments enforced, a brand new provision is added below the mentioned article giving the worker the flexibility to proceed working till sixty-five (65) years of age.
Workers Not Entitled to Retirement Allowance
Pursuant to Article 12, if the worker’s service is terminated for any purpose and isn’t entitled to a retirement allowance below any regulation or pension insurance coverage system, the worker may have the best to proceed optionally within the retirement scheme if they’ve an efficient time period of service of a minimum of 5 years. A request shall be submitted to the GOSI through the first yr following the termination and previous to the settlement of the worker’s rights for retirement.
Authorities Contributions to Retirement Allowances
One of many fundamental adjustments added to the Legislation is the rise of the federal government’s contribution to the worker’s retirement allowance. Previous to the modification, Article 11 of the Legislation supplied that the federal government’s contribution to the retired worker’s wage was 14%. Nevertheless, following the amendments such proportion elevated to twenty%. This modification will enormously profit authorities staff as it is going to lead to growing their complete retirement allowance.
Workers Rights to a Retirement Allowance
Article 13 of the Legislation breaks down the situations the place an worker has the best to an allowance after retirement. The Amendments now entitle the worker to have a retirement allowance after twenty (20) years of service if any of the next situations have been met: (i) the redundancy of the job within the sector; (ii) the dismissal of the worker by a non-disciplinary determination or a disciplinary/judicial determination; or (iii) pressured retirement.
Together with such Amendments, one other situation was added allowing the worker to an allowance within the occasion the place the worker retires after fifteen (15) years of service, or after twenty (20) years of service with the requirement of reaching fifty (50) years of ages.
Concluding Remarks
The Amendments favor the pursuits of the workers within the Kingdom of Bahrain by regulating their rights to a extra superior retirement plan. Offering staff with such added advantages will improve productiveness and would be the results of a wave of retirement, subsequently opening job alternatives to new graduates.
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