Disability pension

ABOUT DISABILITY

An insured person can qualify for a disability pension if disability has been established and some other conditions stipulated by the Act have been met. Disability is established by the Institute’s Board of Examiners.

• Disability exists if due to the changes in one’s health condition, established in line with the provisions of the law, which cannot be remedied by treatment or medical rehabilitation, an insured person's ability of
• securing or retaining their job, or
• getting promoted

has been diminished.

Causes of disability can be:

• an injury at work,
• occupational disease,
• illness,
• an off-the job injury.

It is precisely specified by the Act when disability is a result of an injury at work or occupational disease.

According to their remaining work capacity insured persons are classified in one of the three disability categories by the Board of Examiners as follows:

 Category I:

• where an insured person is not able to perform organized gainful activity or
• where an insured person is not able to carry out their job, and has no remaining work capacity;

Category II:

• where an insured person's work capacity to perform their job has been reduced by 50% or more;

Category III:

• where an insured person is not able to perform their job on a full-time basis, yet can work part-time for at least four hours a day, or
• where their capacity to work in their occupation has been reduced by less than 50%, or
• where they can still work in their occupation full-time yet are not able to perform their current job.

a) What is deemed an insured person's own occupation?

An insured person's own occupation is the work performed within one’s job and all the activities which correspond to their physical or mental capacities and for which they have been qualified, additionally trained, or gained required work experience according to the regulations or collective agreements.

One’s own occupation with a self-employed person, partner in a private company and institution, or farmer is an activity subject to insurance coverage and all activities which correspond to their physical or mental capacities and for which they have been qualified, additionally trained or gained required work experience. Such an insured person is regarded as disabled, if they are not able to perform activities subject to insurance coverage on full-time basis.

For an insured person who is not covered by the compulsory insurance scheme at the time of the onset of disability the work or activity performed for at least one year in the last two years prior to disability occurrence can be, upon request, be considered as one’s own occupation.

 b) What is remaining work capacity?

Remaining work capacity, assessed only in cases of disability categories II and III, exists when an insured person

• is capable of working on a full-time basis at another job which corresponds to their professional qualifications or training, requiring work effort which does not aggravate their impairment, or
• by undergoing occupational rehabilitation, can be trained for another work or activity on a full-time basis at another job, or
• by undergoing occupational rehabilitation can be trained for another work or activity for at least four hours a day, or
• can work for at least four hours a day.