Social Security Organization, Iran

social security organization (sso) is a social insurer organization in iran which provides coverage of wage-earners and salaried workers as well as voluntary coverage of self-employed persons. in 1975, the social security law was approved and the sso was established. iran did not legislate in favor of a universal social protection, but in 1996, the center of the statistics of iran estimated that more than 73% of the iranian population was covered by social security. membership in the social security system is compulsory for all employees. sso is a nongovernmental organization and it is solely financed by contributions (with participation of insured (7%), employer (20–23%) and government (3%)). social protection is extended to the self-employed workers, who voluntarily contribute between 12% and 18% of income depending on the protection sought. sso provides the following services: • retirement, disability and death • unemployment • old-age • helplessness, loss of caretaker and social vu