Ammon News - AMMAN (Petra) – The Lower House on Sunday endorsed several articles in the social security draft legislation after amending some of the clauses during the marathon debate on the bill.

In a session chaired by speaker Saad Hayel Srour and attended by Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour and cabinet ministers, lawmakers deferred a debate on the definitions in the bill until after the conclusion of a discussion on the articles.

The new law grants insurance to subscribers for work-related injuries, old age, disability, death, maternity, layoffs, and health insurance. Lawmakers had demanded the addition of unemployment insurance, but the motion was voted down on the premise that it would bankrupt the social security fund.

Prime Minister Ensour told the House that unemployment is now running at 14% of job seekers, noting that adding unemployment insurance would mean that 1.2 million people would be eligible for a monthly income from the SSC, a "load well beyond the corporation's capacity." "It is out of the question that the unemployed should be supported by the social security fund. We are working to protect the corporation's assets," added Ensour.

MPs who voted against the incorporation of the unemployed for insurance argued that it is the government's responsibility to provide jobs to all unemployed people and job seekers and to address poverty and unemployment in accordance with a clear strategy.