The Czech Social Security Administration has been grappling with a backlog of pension applications, causing significant delays in granting pensions to applicants. Currently, over 22,000 individuals have been waiting for more than three months since submitting their applications, surpassing the legal deadline within which a decision should have been made. In the meantime, these individuals are urging insurance companies to cover the costs of their health insurance payments.

According to Jitka Drmolová, spokesperson for the administration, approximately 18,000 of the pending applications are for early old-age pensions, while the remaining 4,000 are for regular old-age pensions. Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Marian Jurečka, acknowledged the tense situation and stated that it would likely persist for several more weeks. He attributed the delays to multiple factors, including regular pension adjustments, significant adjustments, early retirements, and child-rearing.

Jurečka expressed his concern over the delay in payments, emphasizing the challenges faced by officials in processing the applications. He explained that the situation could not be resolved simply by inputting changes into the software, as it required specialized human work. He apologized for the difficulties and assured that pension payments would resume within a few weeks, adhering to the legal deadlines.

The surge in applications is largely attributed to early retirements, as many individuals took advantage of the unique circumstances to calculate their pensions well in advance of leaving the labor market. Drmolová expects the number of pension applicants to gradually decrease in the coming months.

However, applicants have encountered additional difficulties in scheduling appointments to submit their pension applications in person. The social security website has been overwhelmed, with some individuals reporting waiting for weeks without success. Frustrated seniors have voiced their concerns, as they are unable to arrange important matters related to their pensions.

Complaints about the slow pace of authorities have also emerged online, with individuals sharing their experiences of waiting over a hundred days for their pension applications to be processed. The delays have left some applicants without any income or reserves, and they now face reminders from health insurance companies, unaware that their premiums are no longer being paid by their employers.

Insurance companies have clarified that they must follow the law and request payment of the minimum insurance contribution from clients whose payment status is unclear. However, any payments made toward the minimum insurance contribution will be reimbursed to the client once their pension is granted. In cases where premiums remain unpaid for several months, unofficial sources suggest that the state will cover the outstanding premiums, and individuals will not face significant consequences.

Regarding social insurance, Drmolová assured that individuals with unresolved pension applications since January are not obliged to pay social security contributions if they have not engaged in gainful activity since February. Furthermore, no one else is required to pay social security contributions on their behalf during this period.

Article by Prague Forum