Pension Supplements for Excessive Work Experience: Can a Woman Who Worked 50 Years as a Doctor Receive Additional Payments?
Every year, Ukrainian pension regulations undergo changes, particularly concerning the minimum required work experience for retirement based on age. Due to this trend, many retirees with extensive work history are interested in the possibility of receiving supplementary payments to their main pensions. One notable case involves a 90-year-old retiree who worked as a doctor for over 50 years. Pension expert Serhiy Korobkin explained that under current legislation, when a retiree has work experience exceeding the standard requirements, there is an opportunity to increase pension benefits by a certain percentage of the base amount. Specifically, for each extra year of work experience beyond the norm, the pension can grow by 1%, but this supplement cannot exceed 1% of the current subsistence minimum, which is 2,361 UAH. This means that 30 years of excess work experience could result in an approximate increase of 708.30 UAH. These additional payments are included in the total pension amount, and for exact details of the pension calculation, one must consult the Pension Fund. It is also important to note that, for women who retired before October 1, 2011, the minimum work experience was 20 years, while for men it was 25 years. Any years worked beyond these minima are considered excess work experience. After that date, the rules changed: women with more than 30 years of work experience, and men with more than 35 years, are considered to have excess experience. Korobkin emphasized that questions regarding excess work experience do not directly allow one to conclude the overall pension size. However, during the March indexation, the pension increased by only 468 hryvnias — less than the promised 11.5% increase by the government. This discrepancy is due to the fact that, typically, only the main part of the pension (excluding increments) is increased during indexation, so actual growth may differ from expectations. Additionally, it's crucial to understand whether years of work abroad are counted toward Ukrainian citizens’ insurance periods, as this can influence their pension amounts.