End to Uninsured Construction Work

All construction workers can now apply for the Social Security Organization insurance scheme thanks to the launch of the Iranian Welfare Services Network.

Insurance for this group of workers has been a matter of discussion for years. In 2011 a scheme was initiated whereby a limited number of workers would be covered every year.

Guilds and labor activists, however, opposed the quota scheme and maintained that all eligible workers must receive insurance.

According to Hadi Sa’adati, deputy head of the National Association for Construction Workers, this year there is no mention of a quota in the SSO mandate issued in April.

“All workers have been called upon to sign up for the insurance policy and undergo screening procedures,” ILNA quoted him as saying.  

There are two rounds of screening to verify the information proved by applicants and ensure they are working at a construction site. One round is conducted by the network’s database and the other is performed by the construction workers’ guild associations.

A registration and screening processes was tested in Mazandaran Province last year and is being implemented nationwide this year.

After the evaluations and assessments are over, applicants will be introduced to the SSO to receive insurance coverage.

The insurance includes a pension scheme as well as free medical services at SSO hospitals plus limited coverage of costs in health centers that have a contract with the organization.

“Since the beginning of the current fiscal year (March), the screening of over 7,000 workers has been completed, most of whom are now under cover,” Sa’adati said.

Although the service is now offered to all workers, applicants have to wait for rather long periods before being insured.

Completion of applications depends on the guild associations. Sa’adati called on the associations to “speed it up” so that workers benefit from the service as soon as possible.

Poor Internet connection is another hurdle disrupting and delaying the screening and evaluation process.

“In some counties the system gets disconnected for days, during which time processing applications is impossible,” he said, adding that the website of the network itself is not trouble free and may be down and out for days.