Congo (Brazzaville)

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1962.

Current law: 1986 (social security).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed persons.

Special system for civil servants.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 4% of covered earnings.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are equal to the legal minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 43,000 CFA francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution and benefit purposes are 1,200,000 CFA francs.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 8% of covered payroll.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are equal to the legal minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 43,000 CFA francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are 1,200,000 CFA francs.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension: Age 55 (age 50 if prematurely aged), registered with the National Social Security Fund during the last 20 years, and has at least 240 months of coverage, including 60 months of contributions in the last 10 years. Retirement from paid employment is necessary.

Partial pension: The insured is of pensionable age, retired from paid employment, and has at least 60 months of contributions but does not satisfy the other qualifying conditions for the old-age pension.

The pension is payable abroad only if there is a reciprocal agreement.

Old-age settlement: Paid if the insured does not satisfy the qualifying conditions for a full or partial pension.

Disability pension: The insured must be assessed with a loss of at least 2/3 of capacity for any work, registered with the National Social Security Fund for at least 5 years, and have at least 6 months of contributions in the year before the disability began. There is no minimum qualifying period if the disability is the result of a nonoccupational accident.

Survivor pension: The deceased met the qualifying conditions for a pension or was a pensioner at the time of death.

Survivor settlement: Paid if the deceased was insured but did not satisfy the qualifying conditions for a pension.

Eligible survivors are a widow(er) who was married to the deceased for at least 1 year, children younger than age 16 (age 17 if an apprentice, age 20 if a student or disabled), and dependent parents.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: The pension is equal to 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the best 3 or 5 years in the last 10 years, plus 2% of average monthly earnings for each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 240 months.

The minimum pension is equal to 60% of the highest regional legal minimum wage.

The maximum pension is equal to 80% of the insured's average monthly earnings.

Partial pension: The pension is equal to 2% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the best 3 or 5 years in the last 10 years for each 12-month period of coverage.

Benefits are paid quarterly.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted for changes in the cost of living.

Old-age settlement: A lump sum is paid equal to 1 month of the insured's average monthly earnings in the best 3 or 5 years in the last 10 years for each 12-month period of coverage.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: The pension is equal to 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the best 3 or 5 years in the last 10 years, plus 2% of average monthly earnings for each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 240 months. For each year that a claim is made before the insured reaches age 55, the insured is credited with a 6-month coverage period.

When the insured reaches age 55, the disability pension ceases and is replaced by an old-age pension of the same amount.

The minimum pension is equal to 60% of the highest regional legal minimum wage.

The maximum pension is equal to 80% of the insured's average monthly earnings.

Constant-attendance allowance: Equal to 50% of the pension.

Child's supplement: 1,200 CFA francs a month is paid for each child.

Benefits are paid quarterly.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted for changes in the cost of living.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: The widow(er) receives 30% of the deceased's pension.

The pension ceases on remarriage, and a lump sum is paid.

Remarriage settlement: A lump sum is paid equal to 6 months' pension.

Orphan's pension: 50% of the deceased's pension is split equally among eligible orphans. The orphan's pension must be at least equal to family allowances.

Other eligible survivors: 20% of the deceased's pension is split equally among other eligible survivors.

All survivor benefits combined must not exceed 80% of the deceased's pension.

Benefits are paid quarterly.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted for changes in the cost of living.

Survivor settlement: A lump sum is paid equal to 1 month's old-age pension for each 6-month period of contributions.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security provides supervision.

National Social Security Fund administers the program.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1952.

Current law: 1986 (social security).

Type of program: Social insurance system. Maternity benefits only.

Coverage

Employed women.

Special system for civil servants.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 0.2% of covered payroll.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are equal to the legal minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 43,000 CFA francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are 600,000 CFA francs.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness benefits: No statutory benefits are provided.

Cash maternity benefits: The insured must have at least 6 consecutive months of employment and be currently working at least 20 days or 133 hours a month.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: No statutory benefits are provided. (The 1975 labor code requires employers to provide paid sick leave.)

Maternity benefit: The benefit is equal to 50% of daily covered earnings in the month before the maternity leave begins (the employer also pays 50% of earnings). The benefit is paid for 15 weeks, including at least 9 weeks after the expected date of childbirth; may be extended by 3 weeks in the event of complications arising from pregnancy or childbirth.

Workers' Medical Benefits

The insured is reimbursed for any medical expenses related to maternity care. (Some maternity and child health and welfare services are provided under Family Allowances, below.)

Dependents' Medical Benefits

No statutory benefits are provided. (Some maternity and child health and welfare services are provided under Family Allowances, below.)

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security provides supervision.

National Social Security Fund administers the program.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1935.

Current law: 1986 (social security).

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed persons, members of workers' cooperatives, apprentices, and students of technical colleges.

Special system for civil servants.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 2.25% of covered payroll.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are equal to the legal minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 43,000 CFA francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are 600,000 CFA francs.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

100% of the insured's average daily earnings in the 30 days before the disability began is paid for up to 3 months; thereafter, 2/3 of average earnings. The benefit is paid from the day after the disability began until full recovery or certification of permanent disability.

The maximum daily earnings for benefit calculation purposes are equal to 1% of the maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are 600,000 CFA francs.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability pension: If the insured is assessed as totally disabled, the pension is equal to 100% of the insured's average earnings.

Partial disability: The pension is equal to the insured's average earnings multiplied by 0.5 times the assessed degree of disability for the portion of disability between 10% and 50%, and by 1.5 times the assessed degree of disability for the portion greater than 50%. For an assessed degree of disability less than 10%, a lump sum is paid.

Constant-attendance allowance: Equal to 50% of the pension.

Pensions are normally paid quarterly. If the insured is assessed as 100% disabled, the pension is paid monthly; if assessed as at least 75% disabled, the insured can request to be paid monthly; if assessed as less than 25% disabled, the insured is paid annually.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Benefits include medical and surgical care, hospitalization, medicines, appliances, and transportation.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: The widow(er) receives 30% of the deceased's earnings.

Eligible widow(er)s must not have been separated or divorced from the deceased and must have been married to the deceased before the date of the accident that resulted in the insured's death.

The pension ceases on remarriage, and a lump sum is paid.

Remarriage settlement: A lump sum is paid up to a maximum equal to 3 years' pension.

Foreign survivors who leave the country receive a lump sum equal to 3 years' pension.

Orphan's pension: 50% of the deceased's earnings is split equally among orphans younger than age 16 (age 17 if an apprentice, age 20 if a student or disabled).

Dependent parent's pension: 20% of the deceased's earnings is split equally among eligible parents.

All survivor benefits combined must not exceed 85% of the deceased's earnings.

Pensions are paid quarterly.

Funeral grant: The cost of the funeral is paid, up to a maximum.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security provides supervision.

National Social Security Fund administers the program.

Family Allowances

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1949.

Current law: 1986 (social security).

Type of program: Employment-related system.

Coverage

Employed persons.

Special system for civil servants.

Source of Funds

Insured person: None.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 10.03% of covered payroll.

The minimum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are equal to the legal monthly minimum wage. The legal monthly minimum wage is 43,000 CFA francs.

The maximum monthly earnings for contribution purposes are 600,000 CFA francs.

Government: None.

Qualifying Conditions

Family allowances: The child must be younger than age 16 (age 17 if an apprentice, age 20 if a student or disabled). The parent must have at least 6 consecutive months of employment and be currently working at least 20 days or 133 hours a month; the widow of an insured person.

Prenatal allowance: The mother must undergo regular prescribed medical examinations.

Birth grant: Paid for the first three births of the first marriage.

Family Allowance Benefits

Family allowances: 1,200 CFA francs a month is paid for each child.

Prenatal allowance: 1,200 CFA francs a month is paid for each month of pregnancy. The allowance is paid in two installments.

Birth grant: A lump sum of 1,100 CFA francs is paid for each of the first three births.

Some health and welfare services are also provided to mothers and children.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Employment, and Social Security provides supervision.

National Social Security Fund administers the program.