CIBITOKE June 17th (ABP) – The Ministry of National Solidarity, Social Affairs, Human Rights and Gender, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and with the support of the Merankabandi project, organized from June 14 to 15, in the headquarters of Cibitoke province (north-west of Burundi), an information workshop on the innovations of the social protection code and the social one-stop register for the staff of the judiciary, a check by ABP revealed.
The aim of the workshop was to inform more than a hundred participants about the content of Law No 1/12 of May 12, 2020 on the social protection code in Burundi, the permanent executive secretary of the National Social Protection Commission, Mr. Arcade Nimubona, said in his opening speech.
According to him, the law contains several innovations requiring wide dissemination to the public in general and in a specific way to the magistrates who have an essential role in its implementation.
Thus, among the innovations, there is the change of the title. The name, which was originally the Social Security Code, has changed to the Social Protection Code. This code, which previously concerned civil servants under bylaw and under contract, now concerns all Burundians without exclusion. It takes into account the retirement age set at 60 years. Thus, a member of social protection organizations can request early retirement at age 55 with immediate effect, while someone who shows wear and tear certified by a doctor can retire before 10 years and immediately benefit from their pension. There are also the funeral expenses that will be given to family members, once the retiree dies.
The method of calculating the pension has also changed for the benefit of the affiliate and taking into account his/her better wages. As long as assistance becomes a right for everyone in need, the person can go to their commune and benefit from assistance.
For sanctions related to the Social Protection Code, it was revealed that anyone guilty of cheating is punished by law, as is the employer who does not declare or contribute for his/her employees.
After reviewing the major innovations, the participants looked at the major issues related to the management of social protection litigation. It was specified that Courts are competent for cases of the social protection code, including the Labor Court and the Administrative Court. The first relates to labor contract disputes with INSS affiliates, while the administrative court is seized when the State has a dispute with individuals. The magistrates had to soak up all those notions.
There are entities and institutions that must comply with the provision of the implementing texts of that code. Social protection organizations are called upon to speed up the process of adapting to that code.