The Federation of Healthcare Unions „Sănătatea” is asking Parliament’s Social Protection Commission, the Ministry of Social Protection and the National Social Insurance Company to consider including the postgraduate training of future doctors, also known as residency, into the period counting towards qualification for early pensions.

The Federation notes that under the current legislation the time spent in medical residency and internship doesn’t count as contributory period, despite interns and residents receiving salaries for their work and paying contributions.

“By excluding such periods from the total contributory period for early retirement qualification, the rights of an imposing number of healthcare workers who will be deprived of the right to establish their early retirement pension for long career are violated”, says Aurel Popovici, president of the Federation.