Equatorial Guinea

Old Age, Disability, and Survivors

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1984 (social security), implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed persons, including public-sector employees, civil servants, and military personnel.

Exclusions: Self-employed persons and foreign citizens employed by international organizations.

Source of Funds

Insured person: 4.5% of gross earnings.

The insured person's contributions also finance sickness and maternity benefits, work injury benefits, and family allowances.

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

Employer: 21.5% of gross payroll.

The employer's contributions also finance sickness and maternity benefits, work injury benefits, and family allowances.

Government: At least 25% of annual social security receipts; contributes as an employer.

The government's contributions also finance sickness and maternity benefits, work injury benefits, and family allowances.

Qualifying Conditions

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

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

Disability pension: Must have at least 60 consecutive months of contributions immediately before the disability began and be assessed with a total loss of capacity to perform all types of work or a total (100%) loss of capacity to perform usual work.

Partial disability: Must be assessed with a loss of capacity to perform usual work of at least 66% but less than 100%.

Constant-attendance allowance: Paid if the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions.

Survivor pension: The deceased received or was entitled to receive an old-age or disability pension, or had at least 60 months of contributions.

Eligible survivors include a widow aged 30 or older, disabled, or raising children; a dependent, disabled widower; and children younger than age 14 (no limit if a student or disabled). If there are no other survivors, the pension is paid to the decease's or spouse's dependent parent aged 60 or older (no limit if disabled), or to another dependent relative.

The widow(er)'s pension ceases upon remarriage.

Funeral allowance: Paid when the insured dies.

Old-Age Benefits

Old-age pension: 40% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last two years plus 2% of average monthly earnings for each year of contributions exceeding 10 years is paid.

The maximum monthly pension is 80% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last two years.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every five years.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Disability pension: If the insured is assessed with a total loss of work capacity, 40% of the insured's monthly earnings is paid; the pension is paid for six months if the insured is assessed with a total loss of capacity to perform usual work but not a total loss of work capacity.

Constant-attendance allowance: 40% of the insured's monthly earnings is paid.

Partial disability: 40% of the insured's monthly earnings is paid for up to three months.

Benefits may be suspended if the insured fails to undergo required medical examinations.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every five years.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension

Spouse's pension: 40% of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid; if the deceased was receiving an old-age or disability pension, 80% of the deceased's pension is paid.

If the widow is younger than age 30 and has no children, the pension is only paid for up to 24 months.

Orphan's pension: A pension is paid to each eligible orphan.

The maximum combined orphan's pension is 20% of the deceased's monthly earnings; 40% for full orphans or for half orphans if the widow's pension ceases.

Other dependent's pension: 40% of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid to a dependent parent (80% if the deceased was a pensioner); if there is no dependent parent, 40% of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid to a dependent relative for up to 24 months.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every five years.

Funeral grant: A lump sum of two months of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid.

Administrative Organization

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

Social Security Institute administers the program.

Sickness and Maternity

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1984 (social security), implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Old-age and disability pensioners and employed persons, including civil servants and military personnel.

Exclusions: Self-employed persons.

Source of Funds

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

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

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

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

Qualifying Conditions

Cash sickness benefits: Must have paid contributions in each of the last 12 months and be undergoing medical treatment.

Cash maternity benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period. Must provide a medical certificate.

Medical benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period.

Sickness and Maternity Benefits

Sickness benefit: 50% of the insured's daily wage is paid after a three-day waiting period for up to 26 weeks; may be extended under certain conditions.

Maternity benefit: 75% of the insured's daily wage is paid for 12 weeks, including six weeks before and six weeks after the expected date of childbirth, if the insured paid contributions in the last 12 months.

A lump sum of two months of the insured's monthly wage is paid if the insured has less than 12 months of contributions in the last 12 months.

Workers' Medical Benefits

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

Cost sharing: The insured pays 25% of the cost of medical care and 50% of the cost of medicine; medicine during hospitalization, pregnancy, and the postnatal period are free.

Dependents' Medical Benefits

Medical benefits for dependents are the same as those for the insured.

Administrative Organization

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

Social Security Institute administers the program.

Work Injury

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1947.

Current law: 1984 (social security), implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed persons, including civil servants and military personnel.

Exclusions: Self-employed persons.

Source of Funds

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

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

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

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

Qualifying Conditions

There is no minimum qualifying period.

Temporary Disability Benefits

50% of the insured's daily wage is paid after a three-day waiting period for up to 26 weeks; may be extended under certain conditions.

Permanent Disability Benefits

Permanent disability pension: If the insured is assessed with a total loss of work capacity, 50% of the insured's monthly earnings is paid; the pension is paid for 48 months if the insured is assessed with a total loss of capacity to perform usual work but not a total loss of work capacity.

Partial disability: If the insured is assessed with a loss of capacity to perform usual work of at least 66% but less than 100%, 50% of the insured's monthly earnings is paid; the pension is paid for 24 months.

Constant-attendance allowance: If the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions, 50% of the insured's monthly earnings is paid.

Benefits can be suspended if the insured fails to undergo required medical examinations.

The work injury permanent disability pension cannot be paid at the same time as the old-age pension.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every five years.

Workers' Medical Benefits

Benefits include free medical care, hospitalization, and medicine.

Survivor Benefits

Survivor pension

Spouse's pension: 50% of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid to a widow(er); if the deceased was a disability pensioner, 80% of the deceased's pension is paid.

Eligible survivors include a widow aged 30 or older, disabled, or raising children, and a dependent, disabled widower.

If the widow is younger than age 30 and has no children, the pension is paid for up to 24 months.

The pension ceases upon remarriage.

Orphan's pension: A pension is paid to each eligible orphan.

The maximum combined orphan's pensions is 20% of the deceased's monthly earnings; 40% for full orphans and for half orphans if the widow's pension ceases.

Eligible orphans include children younger than age 14 (no limit if a student or disabled).

Other dependent's pension: If there are no other survivors, 40% of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid to a dependent parent (80% of the monthly pension if the deceased was a pensioner); if there is no dependent parent, 40% of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid to a dependent relative for up to 24 months.

Eligible survivors include a dependent parent or spouse's parent (aged 60 or older; no limit if disabled) or other dependent relative.

Benefit adjustment: Benefits are adjusted every five years.

Funeral grant: A lump sum of two months of the deceased's monthly earnings is paid.

Administrative Organization

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

Social Security Institute administers the program.

Unemployment

Regulatory Framework

The 2012 labor law requires employers to provide severance pay of 45 days of salary for each year of service for unfair dismissal, and at least three months of salary for dismissal due to economic, technological, or structural reasons if the employee had at least three years of continuous service.

Family Allowances

Regulatory Framework

First law: 1950.

Current law: 1984 (social security), implemented in 1990.

Type of program: Social insurance system.

Coverage

Employed persons, including civil servants and military personnel.

Exclusions: Self-employed persons.

Source of Funds

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

Self-employed person: Not applicable.

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

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

Qualifying Conditions

Family allowance: Must be married, a widow with children, or single with biological children. A dependent relative younger than age 14, a student, or disabled may also qualify.

Family Allowance Benefits

Family allowance: Benefits are determined according to a family point system set by law.

Administrative Organization

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

Social Security Institute administers the program through the Family Fund.