Latest news with #of2023
Zawya
20-03-2025
- General
- Zawya
GPSSA: The law grants Emirati mother's optional contribution rights in order to take care of their children
Abu Dhabi: Emirati mothers who wish to take leave from their jobs to look after their children are granted the opportunity to do so for a maximum of three years given that they continue to pay monthly contributions to secure themselves with a lucrative end-of-service benefit, as per Federal Law (57) of 2023. The GPSSA has emphasized the fact that the UAE is focused on supporting and empowering Emirati women in various fields, be it legislation, education, economy and politics, as part of their belief in the effective role females play in strengthening and developing the nation, the foundations of which were laid by the late Sheikh Zayed, may God rest his soul in peace, who believed that females play an integral role in all perspectives. Accordingly, the UAE, with the support of its wise and prudent leadership, continues to pursue this approach towards empowering women across all sectors. In efforts to consider the traditional expectations a working Emirati female plays in serving society, the pension laws have been catered to grant them certain advantages, as found in Federal Law No. (57) of 2023 which offers optional contribution rights for Emirati women. Additionally, female breadwinners, especially in the event of their husband's decease, are given special provisions, widows for instance, are offered the right to merge their pension amount to that of their husbands. Additionally, Federal Law No. (57) of 2023 regarding pension and social insurance and its amendments redistributes pension percentages amongst beneficiaries by raising the widow/s entitlement shares. If the widow has more than one child she receives a 40% pension share, while children (male and female) are entitled to 40% share of the pension; the father or mother or both are entitled to 20% of the pension share. This distribution of shares has raised the widows' percentages at the expense of her children, since she supports them after the decease of the breadwinner. The law has also reduced the age and contribution duration for married, divorced or widowed females with children given that they have contributed with the GPSSA for 30 years and reached the age of 55. This has resulted in a reduced two years of contribution payments and three years in age for each of an Emirati mother's fifth and sixth child, and 3.5 years less in contributions and four years for the seventh child. The support towards females was evident prior to Federal Law No. (57) of 2023 as shown in Federal Law No. (7) of 1999 regarding pension and social security and its amendments, which grants women the right to purchase ten years of service, while men are allowed to purchase only five years. The pension law also allows the repayment of the share for each daughter and sister. The pension amount however is immediately suspended in case a daughter gets married, joins an entity due to a divorce or leaves a job, while the son stops receiving pension once he reaches the age of 21 or 28 in case he is still studying, contrary to a daughter who does not stop receiving pension due to age related reasons. If the mother, sister or daughter become widowed or divorced after the decease of the pensioner and neither of them receive an alternative salary or pension, a share is created for them equal to the share amount at the time the pension is due, without prejudice to the shares of the other beneficiaries. Moreover, the law provides equal distribution of pension payments amongst daughters and sons, with daughters being entitled to the same share amount as sons, since the federal pension law does not consider pension a legal inheritance. Contrary to popular belief, a woman's pension is distributed to her eligible family members, similar to that of a man. All these benefits reflect the federal pension laws efforts to recognize women's pivotal roles at home and in the workforce through offering the necessary financial and moral support to mothers, wives and sisters, thus contributing to enhancing their overall social and economic status. -Ends-
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Arkansas governor unveils anti-China legislation package
(From left) Republican Reps. DeAnn Vaught, Stetson Painter and Mindy McAlindon listen to Sen. Howard Beaty discuss his legislation that would regulate financial activities and affiliations with Chinese entities within Arkansas during a press conference on Feb. 26, 2025. (Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas lawmakers joined the governor Wednesday in announcing legislation that will ban certain interactions between state entities and China. The Communist China Defense legislative package will contain six bills, some of which have not yet been filed, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters during a press conference at the Capitol. The bills' lead sponsors are Sen. Blake Johnson, R-Corning, and Republican Reps. Howard Beaty Jr. of Crossett, Mindy McAlindon of Centerton, Brit McKenzie of Rogers, Stetson Painter of Mountain Home and DeAnn Vaught of Horatio. State officials in 2023 took steps to force a Chinese government-owned agricultural company to divest itself of 160 acres in Craighead County, in accordance with Act 636 of 2023, which prohibits certain foreign-controlled businesses from owning Arkansas land. Sanders said she was proud to be the first governor 'to kick China off of our farmland and out of our state.' The proposed legislation will expand on that law by prohibiting the owning or leasing of property near 'critical infrastructure' like military bases and electric substations, and shorten the time a banned company has to divest, according to a press release. The bills will also ban lobbying 'on behalf of communist China, Russia and other adversaries.' State-supported entities, including colleges and state retirement systems, will also be required to divest from China, Sanders said. 'We want to continue to put people on notice. We want China to know we're taking this seriously and that they're not going to be able to set up shop to do Arkansans harm,' she said. 'That's part of the point of today is to make sure they know that we're taking their activity and their role and their proposed interference and influence very seriously and we're not going to tolerate it in the state of Arkansas.' Beaty said a bill he filed last month will 'enforce strict regulations' on financial activities and affiliations with Chinese entities within Arkansas. House Bill 1352 would allow the state to withhold funding for state-supported colleges and universities that have a Confucius Institute or similar institute related to the People's Republic of China, including a Chinese cultural center. A federal government report in October 2023 noted there are fewer than five Confucius Institutes left in the U.S. since Congress restricted federal funding to schools with institutes. Under HB 1352, state-supported institutions of higher education would also be prohibited from investing in Chinese funds, and municipalities would be banned from having sister cities in China. Beaty said he is working on amendments, but plans to run to legislation and get it on the floor 'expeditiously.' 'It's time that we focus on Arkansas and make sure that outside interests that are here for no good other than attacking our state and our nation, they know where we stand, and we point them out and identify them,' he said. Two bills sponsored by McAlindon would prohibit state agencies from using public funds to purchase promotional items made in China, and prohibit procurement of electric vehicles that are linked to forced labor, she said. 'By putting transparency, accountability and economic safety first, we are standing firm against foreign influence,' McAlindon said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
