Retirees Rejoining the Workforce are Eligible for Labor Insurance Occupational Accident Insurance, while Employers are still Required by Law to Contribute to Labor Pension

An increasingly number of elderly people are returning to the workplace after retirement, because they still have enthusiasm for work and professional skills that can rival the young. In order for the government to protect old-age employees from the risks of occupational injuries and economic security in their lives, if a worker is ineligible for labor insurance and employment insurance due to his/her reception of the old-age benefits of Labor Insurance and other social insurance for workers aged above 65, the employer may enroll him/her in occupational accident insurance of Labor Insurance only. However, employers must still contribute to the Labor Pension for their employees so as to ensure their peace of mind in work.

The Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) further pointed out that those eligible only for occupational accident insurance of Labor Insurance include insured persons receiving Labor Insurance old-age benefits, as well as workers aged above 65 receiving Government Employee and School Staff Insurance old-age benefits, retirement payments under the Insurance of the Military Personnel, the welfare allowance for elderly farmers, or the old-age pension benefits under the national pension insurance program. The premium of the occupational injury accident insurance of Labor Insurance shall be entirely borne by the employer. The worker may claim occupational accident benefits from the BLI for any occupational accident occurring within the insurance period. The benefits may also count as a deductible from the compensation payable by the employer in accordance with Article 59 of the Labor Standards Act, thereby ensuring the protection of workers’ rights and sharing the employer’s operating risks. In addition, if the aforesaid worker is a person to whom the Labor Standards Act is applicable, the employer must then contribute labor pension to the worker’s individual labor pension accounts set up by the BLI, which has no age limit.

The BLI also reminds employers that if they wish to enroll employees who have been receiving old-age benefits of Labor Insurance and other social insurance in the occupational accident insurance of Labor Insurance, the employee shall complete the “Occupational Accident Insurance of Labor Insurance Enrollment Application Form (Labor Pension Contribution Application Form).” Please correctly select the “category of social insurance benefits received,” and do not use a regular “Labor Insurance Enrollment Application Form”. Application for Labor Pension will be simultaneously completed through this procedure. Units handling applications via BLI’s website shall select “occupational accident insurance of Labor Insurance/Labor Pension only” in the insurance category field. Please do not select “Labor Insurance (incl. ordinary and occupational accident insurance), Employment Insurance, and Labor Pension.”