Equatorial Guinea

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1984, implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees, including civil servants and military personnel.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 4.5% of gross earnings.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 21.5% of gross payroll.

Government: At least 25% of annual social security receipts.

All of the above contributions also finance sickness and maternity benefits, work injury benefits, and family allowances, below.

Qualifying Conditions

Old-age pension: Age 60 with 120 months of contributions, including 60 months in the 10 years before retirement.

The required contribution period is reduced for public officials and military personnel who were between ages 50 and 60 when the law was implemented.

Disability pension: A substantial inability to perform all types of work or a total inability to perform usual work with 60 consecutive months of contributions immediately before the onset of disability.

Survivor pension: The deceased had 60 months of contributions or was a pensioner at the time of death.

Eligible survivors are a widow aged 30 or older or of any age if disabled or rearing children, a dependent widower, and children up to age 14 (no limit if a student or disabled). In the absence of other survivors, dependent parents including the spouse's parents aged 60 or older or disabled.

Funeral allowance: Payable for the death of the insured.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: The pension is equal to 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last 2 years, plus 2% for each year of contributions beyond 10 years.

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

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every 5 years.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: For a total disability, the pension is equal to 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last 2 years.

Constant-attendance allowance: Equal to 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last 2 years.

Partial disability: If unable to perform usual work, 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last 2 years is payable for a maximum of 6 months.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every 5 years.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: The pension is equal to 40% of the deceased's average earnings; if the deceased was a pensioner, the survivor pension is 80% of the deceased's pension.

The pension ceases on remarriage.

A childless widow younger than age 30 receives a pension for 24 months only.

Orphan's pension: The total combined pension for all orphans is equal to 20% of the deceased's earnings; 40% for full orphans and for half-orphans if the widow's pension ceases.

Dependent parent's pension (in the absence of other survivors): The pension is equal to 40% of the deceased's earnings; if the deceased was a pensioner, the benefit is 80% of the deceased's pension.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every 5 years.

Funeral grant: Equal to 2 months of the deceased's earnings.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Women's Welfare provides supervision.

Social Security Institute administers the program.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1984, implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees, including civil servants, military personnel, the insured's family members, pensioners, and the disabled.

Source of Funds

Insured person: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Government: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness and maternity benefits: Must have contributed during the last 12 months.

Medical benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: The benefit is equal to 50% of the insured's daily earnings. The benefit is payable after a 3-day waiting period for a maximum of 26 weeks; may be extended under certain conditions.

Maternity benefit: The benefit is equal to 75% of the insured's daily earnings. The benefit is paid for 6 weeks before and 6 weeks after the expected date of childbirth.

A lump sum equal to 2 months' wages is paid if the insured does not meet the contributions qualifying condition for the maternity benefit.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Benefits include medical care for up to 26 weeks, according to the schedule in law.

Cost sharing: The insured pays 50% of the cost of medicine; medicines during hospitalization, pregnancy, and the postnatal period are free.

Hospitalization is free.

Dependents' Medical Benefits

Benefits include medical care for up to 26 weeks, according to the schedule in law.

Cost sharing: The insured pays 50% of the cost of medicine for dependents; medicines during hospitalization, pregnancy, and the postnatal period for dependents are free.

Hospitalization is free.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Women's Welfare provides supervision.

Social Security Institute administers the system.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1984, implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees, including civil servants and military personnel.

Source of Funds

Insured person: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Government: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Qualifying Conditions

Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

The benefit is equal to 50% of the insured's daily earnings. The benefit is payable after a 3-day waiting period for a maximum of 26 weeks; may be extended under certain conditions.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability pension: If totally disabled and incapable of any work, the pension is equal to 50% of earnings; the pension is limited to 48 months if the insured is capable of alternative work.

Partial disability: The pension is equal to 50% of the base salary; the pension is limited to 24 months if the insured is capable of alternative work.

Constant-attendance allowance: Equal to 50% of earnings.

The work injury permanent disability pension cannot be paid with the old-age pension.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every 5 years.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Benefits include free medical care, hospitalization, and medicines.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension: 50% of the deceased's earnings are payable to a widow(er); if the deceased was a pensioner, the survivor pension is 80% of the deceased's pension. The pension ceases on remarriage.

Eligible survivors are a widow aged 30 or older (of any age if disabled or rearing children) and a dependent widower.

A childless widow younger than age 30 receives a pension for 24 months only.

Orphan's pension: The total combined pension for all orphans is equal to 20% of the deceased's earnings; 40% for full orphans and for half-orphans if the widow's pension ceases.

Eligible orphans are children up to age 14 (no limit if a student or disabled).

Dependent parent's pension (in the absence of other survivors): The pension is equal to 40% of the deceased's earnings; if the deceased was a pensioner, the pension is 80% of the deceased's pension.

Eligible parents include the spouse's parents aged 60 or older or disabled.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every 5 years.

Funeral grant: Equal to 2 months of the deceased's earnings.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Women's Welfare provides supervision.

Social Security Institute administers the program.

Family Allowances

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1950.

Current law: 1984, implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employees, including civil servants and military personnel.

Source of Funds

Insured person: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Government: See source of funds under Old Age, Disability, and Survivors, above.

Qualifying Conditions

Family allowances: The insured must be married, a widow with children, or single with natural children. Dependent relatives who are younger than age 14, a student, or disabled may also qualify.

Family Allowance Benefits

Family allowances: Benefits are determined according to a family point system set by regulation.

Administrative Organization

Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Women's Welfare provides supervision.

Social Security Institute administers the program through the Family Fund.