Thousands of public sector employees and, more broadly, General Government employees who until now were excluded from such coverage will now be eligible to join the supplementary pension scheme.
According to the new provision from the Ministry of Labor, included in the draft law on equal pay, the scope of eligibility is significantly expanded for both the supplementary insurance branch of the EFKA and the TEKA. A key factor determining the choice between EFKA and TEKA is the year of birth of the individuals concerned.
The new regulation (Article 40 of the draft bill currently under review and in consultation) allows, for the first time, employees of General Government agencies who are not currently covered by supplementary insurance to voluntarily join a supplementary pension scheme. At the same time, it allows younger employees to opt for insurance under the TEKA scheme.
This measure, as well as the provision allowing thousands of National Health System (ESY) employees (though not all who claim it, of course), addresses a long-standing gap in the social security system, as a significant number of employees in public bodies, organizations, legal entities, and other services within the broader public sector do not have supplementary insurance coverage, with the result that upon retirement they can expect only the primary pension.
At the same time, the current framework remains in place, which provides that self-employed healthcare professionals, former OGA insured persons, and individuals exempt from mandatory supplementary insurance under specific or general legal provisions. Under the new wording, this right is extended to employees of General Government agencies who were previously excluded from the system.
The provision clarifies the eligibility criteria based on the insured person’s year of birth. Specifically, as of January 1, 2022, those born on or before December 31, 1986, may opt to join the EFKA supplementary insurance scheme, while those born on or after January 1, 1987, are subject to the Supplementary Capitalization Insurance Fund (TEKA), which operates under a capitalization system with individual contribution accounts.
Of particular importance is the transitional provision introduced for those who submit an application after reaching the age of 47. For this category, the age restriction that has been in effect until now is abolished, and the option to choose between TEKA and EFKA is provided, regardless of year of birth. This option may be exercised until December 31, 2026, offering greater flexibility to employees who are nearing retirement or wish to assess which social security scheme best meets their needs.
The regulation is expected to be of particular interest to employees in the public sector who, until now, did not have relevant insurance coverage and are seeking an additional pillar of pension protection for the coming years.
Social security experts estimate that it will strengthen the insurance coverage of thousands of employees who, until now, did not have access to a supplementary pension. At the same time, it will expand the base of insured individuals in both the existing supplementary insurance system of the EFKA and the new capitalized model of the TEKA.