Assembly carpenter fights for heavy labor pension – success after resistance!

Assembly carpenter fights for heavy labor pension – success after resistance!

An assembly carpenter from Styria recently highlighted a remarkable case regarding heavy-duty pensions. The man had applied to the Pension Insurance Agency (PVA) for a hard work pension, but it was rejected, even though he met all the requirements. After this rejection, the assembly carpenter sought support from the Chamber of Labor (AK) and was ultimately proven right. The AK was able to prove that the assembly carpenter had to lift heavy weights every day in his job and regularly worked overtime.

AK Steiermark received around 32 million euros in pension benefits last year, most of which were used for early retirement for health reasons, corridor pensions and heavy work pensions. What is particularly noteworthy is that hard work pensions are becoming increasingly relevant for women, which has a positive impact on the coverage of these benefits.

Background to the hard work pension

Under the Heavy Labor Regulations, an application will be approved if specific criteria are met. This includes, among other things, irregular night work between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. as well as work in extreme temperatures. In addition, heavy physical work is recognized if workers consume a certain number of work calories over a period of eight hours. Men must consume at least 2,000 calories and women must consume 1,400 calories to meet the requirements , as the Chamber of Labor explains.

It was crucial for the assembly carpenter that his activity was on the list of heavy-duty occupations, although in his case this did not result in automatic approval. Only the support of the AK, which used an expert to determine the calorie consumption during a typical working day, finally brought the breakthrough. The PVA had to acknowledge that the man worked longer hours than usual.

The importance of pension benefits

Pension benefits in Austria come from various sources, including social insurance, civil servants' pensions and social compensation pensions. In many cases, such as that of the assembly carpenter, access to these benefits is crucial for financial security after working life. Loud Statistics Austria All persons with pension benefits are recorded according to the ESSOSS methodology to ensure that no individual benefit solution is overlooked.

In another supportive measure, the AK helped a young Styrian woman who had to apply for a disability pension at the age of 24 due to an accident at work. Her application was initially rejected for 10,000 euros, but was increased to around 30,000 euros, which shows how important the support from the AK is for those affected.

The case of the assembly carpenter not only highlights the problem of recognizing hard work, but also the challenges that many employees face when they are dependent on social security benefits.