Facilities for younger retirees? Poles spoke up
Over 60 percent Poles believe that early retirees should be able to supplement their benefits without restrictions – according to a survey for “Wprost”. From June 1, new earnings limits apply for this group.
The retirement age in Poland is 60 (women) and 65 (men). However, a number of people have the right to take early retirement or take advantage of a bridge pension.
Early retirement is available to employees working in particularly strenuous working conditions, such as: long-term exposure to noise, vibration or chemicals. It requires a total work experience of 30 years for women and 35 years for men, including at least 15/20 years in such conditions, and reaching the age of 55 years for women and 60 years for men. Separate, privileged rules apply to representatives of uniformed services (they are entitled to a pension after 25 years of service, regardless of age, or after 15 years of service and reaching the age of 55), teachers (they can apply for compensatory benefits after 30 years of teaching work, including at least 20 years in schools. The required age is 55 years for women and 60 years for men), as well as miners (they retire after 25 years of underground work or 30 years total experience in mining, without age limit).
In turn, a bridging pension is available to people performing work of a particularly burdensome or harmful nature, confirmed by the official list of ZUS professions, e.g. railway drivers, welders or steelworks workers. It requires reaching the age of 55 (women) or 60 (men) and at least 30 years of work experience for women and 35 years for men in these professions.
Early retirees have the right to supplement their benefits. However, they must be careful about earnings limits. Exceeding them may result in a reduction or even suspension of the pension payment.
The first situation occurs when the salary exceeds 70%. the amount of the average monthly salary. In turn, the benefit will be suspended when the payment exceeds 130%. the amount of the average monthly salary. From June 1, these amounts are PLN 6,694, PLN 10 and PLN 12,431.80 gross, respectively, while previously they were PLN 6,438.50 and PLN 11,957.20 gross. This means that from this month, younger retirees can earn more. The new limits will apply until the end of August.
Shouldn’t early retirees have limits?
Should such restrictions exist at all? SW Research asked Poles about this in a survey commissioned by “Wprost”.
To the question: “Should people receiving early retirement be able to earn extra money without restrictions (without applicable earnings limits)?” 63.6 percent respondents answered affirmatively, and 22 percent is of the opposite opinion. 14.4 percent respondents have no opinion on this matter.
