First law: 1922.
Current law: 1990 as amended in 1992 and 1994 (social insurance), and 1998 (social assistance).
Type of program: Dual social insurance and social assistance systems.
Exchange rate: U.S.$1.00 equals 34.50 soms.
Note: Provisions for social insurance programs as of January unless noted otherwise; for social assistance allowances, as of January 1999.
All employed persons, and members of cooperatives and state and collective farms. Special provisions for workers in aviation, and in performing arts. Special social assistance allowances for disadvantaged aged, disabled, and survivors not eligible for employment-related social insurance benefits, without taking into consideration combined household income of recipient.
(As of January 1997)
Insured person: 2.5% of earnings (0.5% of which is for unemployment insurance).
Employer: 34% of payroll (23% for state and collective farms).
Government: Subsidies as needed. Full cost of constant attendance supplements for disabled, and for social assistance allowances.
Above contributions also finance benefits for work-injury disability and survivor pensions.
Old-age pension: Age 60 and 25 years of covered employment (men) or age 55 and 20 years of covered employment (women); requirements reduced for hazardous or dangerous work, to mothers of 5 or more children or of disabled children.
Disability pension: Group I: total disability, requiring constant attendance. Group II: total disability, loss of 80% mobility.
Group III: partial disability, limited ability to work, plus a minimum of 1 to 15 years of covered employment, depending on age of onset of disability.
Survivor pension: Insured had up to 15 years of covered employment, payable to surviving children whether or not dependents of the insured; and to non-working dependents (including spouse, either parent, if disabled or not yet of pensionable age; grandparents, if no other support available).
Covered employment includes periods of study, maternity leave, caring for disabled, unemployment, and other approved leaves by special decrees.
Social assistance allowances (not income-tested, as of January 1999): Non-working citizens or otherwise not eligible for old-age, disability or survivor's pension.
Old-age pension: 55% of average monthly wage (any 60 consecutive months in last 15 years) if 25 (men) or 20 (women)
years of work, plus 1% of wage for each year in excess of 25 (or 20).
Payable monthly.
Maximum: 80% of average monthly wage; minimum: 100% of minimum wage (75 soms as of January 1, 1997). Maximum average earnings: 10 times the minimum wage.
Partial pension (if insufficient, but at least 5 years of covered employment): Monthly benefit reduced in proportion to number of years below required years of coverage. Minimum: 50% of minimum wage.
Adjustment: Periodic benefit adjustments according to cost of living changes.
Social assistance allowance (not income tested, amounts linked to guaranteed minimum standard of living (GM), at 100 soms per month, as of April 29, 1998): 70% of GM per month payable to men aged 65 or older, and women aged 55 or older; 100% of GM per month to high-altitude residents aged 55 or older (aged 50 for older women); 150% of GM per month, mothers of 5 or more children (or of disabled children) and aged 55 or older (50 or older if also high altitude residents).
GM is adjusted periodically according to wage changes.
Disability pension: Total disability pension: Group I disability pension, same as old-age pension plus constant-attendance supplement. Group II disability pension, as old-age pension, plus supplement for single disabled requiring constant attendance.
Minimum: Same as minimum old-age pension.
Partial pension for total disability (if insufficient years of covered employment): Same as under old-age pension.
Constant attendance supplement: 50% of minimum pension (100% if blind) per month.
Partial (Group III) disability, 30% of wage; minimum, 50% of minimum old-age pension. Payable monthly.
Adjustment: Periodic benefit adjustments according to cost of living changes.
Social assistance allowances (not income-tested): 150% of GM payable to Group I disabled (200% of GM if disabled since childhood); 100% of GM, Group II disabled (150% if disabled since childhood); 50% of GM, Group III disabled (100% if disabled since childhood). Also, 200% of GM payable to disabled children (age 16 or 21 if student) suffering from cerebral palsy; 150% of GM, disabled children under age 16 (21 if student) and to children infected with HIV or AIDS.
GM is adjusted periodically according to wage changes.
Survivor pension: Payable monthly at 30% of wage for each dependent under age 16 (21 if full-time student), or 50% of minimum wage per month, whichever is greater.
Full orphans: 30% of wages of both parents; minimum, 100% of minimum wage.
Adjustment: Periodic benefit adjustments according to cost of living changes.
Social assistance allowances (not income-tested): 100% of GM per month for each orphan under age 16 (21 if full-time students); 150% GM per month if lost both parents.
Funeral grant: deceased recipient of social assistance allowance: lump sum of 500% GM payable to either surviving parents or other family members.
GM is adjusted periodically according to wage changes.
Republic Ministry of Labor and Social Protection, general coordination and oversight.
Provincial and county offices of labor and social protection, administration of program.
First law: 1922.
Current law: 1955, as amended in 1993. (Details of 1996 State Social Insurance and 1997 Medical Insurance not available).
Type of program: Dual social insurance (cash benefits) and universal (medical care) system.
Cash benefits: Employed persons, students, and members of cooperatives. Medical care: All residents.
Insured person: None.
Employer: Cash benefits: 6% of payroll.
Government: Cash benefits: none; medical care: whole cost.
Cash and medical benefits: No minimum qualifying period.
Sickness benefit: 60% of earnings, if less than 5 years' uninterrupted work; 80% if 5-8 years; 100%, if over 8 years (or if 3 or more dependent children, a disabled veteran, or disabled as result of Chernobyl disaster). Benefits payable after a 5-day waiting period.
Maternity benefit: 100% of earnings payable for a total of 126 calendar days before and after confinement (may be extended to 140 days if complications during childbirth).
Medical benefits: Medical services available directly to patients through government or enterprise-administered health providers.
General and specialist care, hospitalization, laboratory services, dental care, maternity care, and transportation. Providers may charge fees for service.
Medical benefits for dependents: Same as for head of household.
Cash benefits: Republic Social Fund, general oversight and administration of the program; employers, payments of cash benefits.
Medical care: Republic Ministry of Health and health departments of local governments, general supervision and coordination; provision of medical services through clinics, hospitals, maternity homes, and other facilities administered by the Health Ministry and local health departments.
First law: 1922.
Current laws: 1955 (short-term benefits) and 1990 (pensions), as amended 1992 and 1994.
Type of program: Dual social insurance (short-term benefits and pensions) and universal (medical care) system.
Employed persons, students, and members of cooperatives.
Medical care available to all residents.
Insured person: See pension contributions, above.
Employer: Disability and survivor benefits: see pensions contributions, above; Cash benefits for sickness: see sickness benefits contributions, above.
Government: Disability and survivor benefits: see pensions contributions, above; Cash benefits for sickness: none; whole cost of medical care.
Work-injury benefits: No minimum qualifying period.
Temporary disability benefit: 100% of earnings.
Payable from first day of incapacity, until recovery or award of disability pension.
Permanent disability pension: Same as general disability pensions above.
Medical benefits: Same as under general medical care, plus full cost of appliances and medicines.
Survivor pension: Same as general survivor pensions above.
Temporary disability benefits: Republic Social Fund, general supervision; enterprises and employers pay benefits to own employees.
Pensions: Same as under old-age, disability, and survivor pensions above.
Medical care: Same as under general medical care above.
First law: 1921.
Current law: 1991 as amended 1994.
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Citizens aged 16-59 (men) or 16-54 (women).
Employee: 0.5% of wages.
Employer: 1.5% of payroll.
Government: Subsidies as needed from Republic and local governments.
Unemployment benefit: Registered at employment office; ability and willingness to work. Benefits may be reduced, suspended or terminated if worker is discharged for: violating work discipline; leaving employment without good cause; violating conditions for job placement or vocational training; or filing fraudulent claims.
Unemployment benefit: Benefits payable monthly not to exceed 26 calendar weeks. Minimum: 100% of minimum wage.
150% of minimum wage, if covered employment more than 1/2 of required for old-age pensions (i.e., 12.5 years for men, and 10 years for women); 100% of minimum wage, if students unemployed within 12 months of graduation; 100% of minimum wage, all other categories of unemployed.
Dependent supplement: 10% of unemployment benefit for each dependent.
Republic Employment Service and local employment centers, administration of program.
First law: 1944.
Current law: 1998.
Type of program: Social assistance (income-tested) system.
Note: Provisions as of January 1999.
Children of single-parent families, and of unwed mothers; and students (under age 21) of disabled or unemployed parents. Orphans, see social assistance under survivor program above.
Insured person: None.
Employer: None.
Government: Whole cost from general revenues.
Family allowances: Income test: household per capita income (average of 3 months preceding claim for allowances) lower than 100% of GM (100 soms per month as of April 29, 1998).
Family allowances (income-tested): 100% of GM per month payable if mother on leave to care for 1 child under age 1.5; 100% GM if caring 2 children under age 3; or 150% GM if caring for 3 children under age 16.
Social assistance allowance is also payable to each child under age 16 (21 if full time student): allowance amount equals difference between family average per-capita income and GM.
One-time grant for each newborn: 300% of GM.
Adjustment: Periodical adjustments of GM according to wage changes.
Republic Ministry of Labor and Social Protection and local offices, administration of program.