National Social Security Fund (NSSF) members access services at Preah Ang Duong Hospital on March 10. NSSF
Some members of the public have expressed dismay at what they have called poor communication from the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), after a number of citizens were unable to register for NSSF cards due to new requirements.
Self-employed people are now required to obtain an “informal economy worker certificate”, not in itself a difficult task, but one which say they were unaware of.
The certificates can be obtained via an app, or through one of the fund’s partner banks.
Applicants using the app must submit their ID card, a photograph and details of their business. Once submitted, they must wait for approval and then print a physical copy of the certificate before returning to the NSSF office in Phnom Penh’s Sen Sok district.
Some people have raised concerns about the ease of access for those with limited experience using a smartphone.
In previous years, self-employed individuals could simply bring the relevant documents to the NSSF, answer questions about their business, and then register instantly.
Heng Sophannarith, NSSF deputy director general, told The Post that he acknowledged some difficulties in the initial phase of the new system, with some people unsure how to register for the informal economy worker certificate.
He clarified that outside of the app, the certificates can be obtained through agents at six of the NSSF’s partner banks, including the Agricultural and Rural Development Bank, SME Bank of Cambodia, ACLEDA Bank, ABA Bank, Wing Bank and Vattanac Bank.
Once the certificate is obtained, applicants should take it to the NSSF office, answer staff questions about their business and get registered, he added.
When asked about the new requirements, Sophannarith reiterated that the NSSF does not prohibit the general public from applying for its services.
However, as the fund requires a clear understanding of each applicant’s occupation, it is necessary to insist that each of them submit details of their business.
“Additionally, this helps avoid situations where a company owner shirks their responsibility, perhaps failing to pay their employee’s NSSF contributions or requiring workers to pay them themselves,” he explained.
Currently, the NSSF, under the management of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, has more than 2.77 million members, each of whom enjoys access to subsidised healthcare and emergency treatment.
