President of the Republic, General Michel Aoun, signed Decree No. 9718 of July 20, 2022.
This decree grants temporary social assistance to all public sector employees, regardless of their job titles, and to retirees who benefit from a retirement pension.
The decree also grants the Finance Ministry a treasury advance to pay this assistance.
Decree Text:
Article 1: Public sector workers are given “public administrations, including retirees who benefit from a retirement pension, public institutions (including government hospitals, the Lebanese University, the State Employees’ Cooperative, and the National Social Security Fund), municipalities, municipal unions, and anyone who receives a salary, wage, or allowance from public funds, employed and conducting services and projects emanating from the Ministry of Social Affairs, social assistance whose value is determined at 100% of the salary and is calculated on the basis of the salary, wage or pension basis without any increase of any kind or designation, provided that the value of this assistance is not less than /2,000,000 / LBP per month for those who are still in active service and 1,700,000/ LBP. For retirees and not more than / 6,000,000/ LBP. for those still in active service and /5,100,000/LBP for retirees.
The above-mentioned social assistance as of 1/7/2022.
-Excluded from the provisions of the above paragraph are employees of the diplomatic corps assigned to Lebanese missions abroad, and all workers in public administrations who receive their salaries, wages, or monthly remuneration allowances in other than the Lebanese pound, as well as anyone who receives compensation other than the Lebanese pound by virtue of his position.
– The value of the temporary social assistance for day laborers, invoice workers and technical service providers is determined by a decision issued by the Minister of Finance.
– In the event that any of the persons mentioned in the first article of this decree benefited from more than one social assistance, the beneficiary must inform the concerned administration about the duplication and only then is entitled to the higher aid.
– The treasury has the right to recover the money paid unlawfully at all times with legal interest until the date of payment.
Article 2: This decree shall be effective immediately upon its publication in the Official Gazette.
Signing a decree giving a treasury advance:
President Aoun also signed Decree No. 9719 of July 20, 2022, to grant the Ministry of Finance a treasury advance of 3,400 billion pounds per month, to pay temporary social assistance to all employees in the public administration, regardless of their job titles, and retirees who benefit from a retirement pension.
Decree Text:
Article 1: The Ministry of Finance – Directorate of Public Finance – is given a treasury advance of 3,400/ billion LBP per month (three thousand and four billion LBP).
The purpose of the advance: Payment of temporary social assistance to workers in the public administration, whatever their job titles: public authorities, employees, contractors, workers, military and security agencies, judges, daily wage workers, bill workers, technical service providers, the educational corps with its various stages and types: primary and intermediate Secondary, vocational and technical education, in addition to retirees who benefit from a retirement pension.
Method of payment of the advance: By order of the Central Finance Accountant bearing the number and date of this decree based on the instructions of the Minister of Finance.
Duration of use of the advance: one year from the date of issuance of this decree.
The deadline for repaying the advance: a maximum period of one year from the date of the issuance of this decree (…).