Legal age, contribution period, employment of seniors: the key points of the pension reform which comes into force on September 1

legal age

The legal retirement age is gradually raised from 62 to 64, depending on the year of birth, at the rate of 3 months per year from the generation born in 1961.

It is thus increased to 62 years and three months for people born on or after September 1, 1961, 63 years for those born in 1964 or even 64 years for people born in 1968.

However, disabled workers will be able to retire from the age of 55, and those on disability at 60.

Contribution period

To obtain a “full rate” pension (without discount), the required contribution period will increase from 42 years (168 quarters) currently to 43 years (172 quarters) by 2027, at the rate of one quarter per year. This extension was provided for by the Touraine reform of 2014, but on a less tight schedule.

The cancellation of the discount will remain at age 67 for those who do not have all the required quarters.

Special diets

The reform puts an end to most of the existing special schemes, including those of the RATP, the electricity and gas industries and the Banque de France, for all agents recruited from September 2023.

Agents recruited previously continue to benefit from these schemes ("grandfather clause" already implemented at the SNCF), but they are not exempt from the changes provided for by the reform for all employees.

Small pensions

The pension cannot be less than a minimum amount for a full career. As of September 1, this amount is increased to 848 euros gross for a full career.

The minimum pension is thus revalued to the tune of 100 euros per month for a full career at the Smic, a prorated amount for incomplete careers. The revaluation will concern "200.000 retirees each year, or about one in four departures, and 1,7 million current retirees" according to the ministry.

Long careers

This is the most complex point. Those who started working early will always be able to leave earlier. Before the reform, starting a career before the age of 20 could allow for an early retirement of two years, and entering working life before the age of 16 could give the right to an early retirement of four years.

This device is "adapted" with two new age limits: those who started working between the ages of 20 and 21 can leave a year earlier, at 63; those who started before the age of 20 will be able to leave two years earlier, i.e. 62; those who started before the age of 18 will be able to claim their right to retirement four years earlier, i.e. 60; and those who started before age 16, six years earlier, i.e. 58 years.

The minimum contribution period is set at 43 years of contributions for all long careers.

Mothers, orphans

A pension supplement of up to 5% will be granted to women who, under the effect of the quarters validated for maternity and the education of children, will exceed the 43 annual installments required for a full-rate pension, one year before the legal retirement age.

The number of trimesters for education allocated to the mother, in the sharing between parents, is increased.

The child pension increase will be extended to liberal professionals and lawyers.

Those under 21 who have lost both parents from September 2023 will be able to benefit from an "orphan's pension", subject to means testing.

painfulness

The professional prevention account already taking into account night work and other hardship criteria may be used to finance professional retraining leave.

Other criteria such as the carrying of heavy loads, painful postures and mechanical vibrations will be taken into account by means of a new “investment fund in the prevention of professional wear and tear”.

Among civil servants, the “active categories” (police officers, firefighters, nursing assistants, etc.) will retain their right to early departure.

Illustrative image of the article via Depositphotos.com.