Original scientific paper
Retirement Policy Changes for Workers in Arduous and Hazardous Jobs: Comparative Overview and Lessons for Croatia
Ivana Vukorepa
orcid.org/0000-0001-6759-9992
; Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
It is considered that engagement in harsh occupations negatively affects health and longevity. Therefore, in addition to benefits in respect of accidents at work and occupational diseases, many countries adopted more favourable pension rules for such workers (e.g. right to old-age pension at an earlier age or more advantageous pension accrual rates). However, the scope of such jobs or the actual level of their arduousness and hazardousness has been changing over time due to technological advancements and development of health and safety measures. Hence, for many occupations there is justification for a reduction of the former generosity. The aim of this paper is to give a comparative overview and analysis of pension rules, retirement patterns and policy changes for workers in hazardous and arduous jobs. Special attention is given to the situation in Croatia. Based on legal analyses and data research, the author proposes retirement policy changes that would strike a better balance between, on the one hand, the general need to prolong working lives and, on the other hand, the specific individual needs for early labour market exits for really frail workers.
Keywords
pensions; retirement policy; arduous jobs; strenuous jobs; hazardous jobs; Croatia
Hrčak ID:
176827
URI
Publication date:
6.3.2017.
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