International Labour Organization (17.07.2024) Oman has launched the implementation of new social insurance maternity benefits that are set to significantly improve labour market opportunities for women in the Sultanate. The new scheme is part of ambitious and wide-ranging social protection reforms in Oman, developed with the support of the ILO and adopted in July 2023. It improves and expands maternity benefits for mothers employed in full-time jobs and includes a provision for paternity leave. The system is in line with key requirements of ILO Maternity Protection Convention, 2000 (No.

The HR Observer (24.01.2023) The Omani’s National Employment Programme launched a self-employment platform collaboration with AWJ Innovation and Occidental Oman to encourage the self employed individuals to connect with potential employers. “Self employment is one of the initiatives launched by the National Employment programme in partnership with the concerned authorities with the aim of providing integrated and interrelated facilities for self employed individuals in the Sultante of Oman,” said Azhar al Kindi, Executive Director of the National Employment Programme.

politico.eu (25.07.2024) The European Commission said Thursday it is taking legal action against Germany and Italy, accusing both countries of discriminating against EU migrants regarding social security. In 2018 and 2022, respectively, the German state of Bavaria and Italy passed laws reducing the amount of family benefits paid to mobile workers — a term referring to EU nationals working in a country where they are not citizens. As a result, the Commission referred Italy and Germany to the European Court of Justice (ECJ), calling the schemes “discrimination.”

elpais.com (21.06.2024) The country’s aging population and low fertility rate jeopardizes the solvency of Social Security and the Medicare program, according to a new study by Brookings

Singapore Business Review (20.06.2024) Gig workers will be enabled to secure their retirement, benefit from improved workplace safety, and gain greater visibility within the industry.

mybroadband.co.za (13.06.2024) The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) suffered a cyberattack in February 2024, and it only expects to restore its self-service functionality by 21 June 2024. A notice published on the GEPF’s social media pages says the self-service functionality on its web platform and app was still offline due to the data breach at the Government Pensions Administration Agency (GPAA). “The GPAA has determined that a total rebuild of the platforms is necessary to ensure a stronger platform,” it said. It is expected that the rebuilt platforms will be operational by 21 June.

The policy would require non-residents on a visit to Ghana to sign onto a health insurance scheme during their stay

(10.06.2024) The two-pot retirement system is a reform that will allow retirement fund members to make partial withdrawals from their retirement funds before retirement, while preserving a portion...

worldbank.org (28.05.2024) Reina Solano, a single mother of five, lives in a modest house in Higüey, in La Altagracia province in the Dominican Republic. Her household was among the 35,000 identified as the most affected by Hurricane Fiona. The heavy rains and strong winds of up to 150 kilometers per hour caused severe flooding and extensive damage, destroying homes and key infrastructure in the Dominican Republic. “Fiona was a disaster for me.

.ilo.org (27.05.2024) Migration in the East and Horn of Africa (EHoA) is characterised as mixed migration. The region is a source, transit, and destination for various migratory flows, with forced migration and labour migration continuing to drive the main movement trends within and across countries. Migrant workers, asylum seekers and refugees, often travel along similar routes into, within, and out of the region.