ΕΦΚΑ began repeated recalculations of pensions assigned until May 2016and in many cases are revealed erroneous promotionsresulting in payment amounts decreaseand for pensioners demands for retroactive refunds.
This development contradicts the expectations that were formed by law 4670/2020 (so-called Votsi’s law), since it theoretically provided for improvement replacement rates.
The main pension categories affected by the cuts include:
- difficult and especially difficult professions;
- builders;
- workers of adits and mines;
- heavy industry;
- employees ΔΕΗ (e.g. line workers, power plant personnel).
For disabled peoplewith fewer years of insurance experience, as well as for those who retired without “standard” years of insurance, payments are revised according to more stringent parameterswhich leads to a reduction in amounts.
Besides, relatives of disabled people (parents, brothers and sisters, spouses) who received a pension when 25 years of experienceare faced with a reduction in payments due to a new calculation base and new age limits – for example, an increase in the threshold from 55 to 62 years old.
Regarding survivor’s pensionsthey are recalculated retroactively on the basis of law 4387/2016 (Katrougalos’s law). Survivor’s pension percentage applies to smaller calculation baseresulting in the final payout being significantly lower. This is the only case where Katrougalos’s law applies to the detriment of old pensioners.
The so-called “personal difference” 2019, which then did not lead to massive layoffs, during repeated recalculations disappears or turns into a real reduction in pension.
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