The court has announced an important ruling regarding pensions for workers, stating that employees who have completed 14.5 years or more of service are entitled to receive a pension. According to the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Act of 1976, any period of service lasting six months or more can be rounded up and counted as a full year when calculating eligibility for pension benefits.
In this case, the court rejected appeals made by the Employees’ Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), noting that pensions had been wrongly denied to workers whose total service was just short of the 15-year mark. The judges emphasized that once workers earn a legal right, such as a pension, it cannot be removed or denied through administrative instructions or circulars.
The judgment also highlighted the responsibility of public institutions to act fairly when dealing with social welfare programs. The rounding-off rule, which allows partial years of service to count toward eligibility, was confirmed as a legitimate and important part of the pension system. This rule ensures that workers are not unfairly disqualified from receiving benefits due to technicalities, protecting the rights of long-serving employees and supporting social security principles.
