Government lowers the age at which forest firefighters in Spain can now retire
This aligns them with other such professionals in other public bodies, who have been able to take early retirement since 2008
The Spanish government is settling an old debt with forest firefighters - one of the groups of professionals that have been fighting the wave of forest fires that devastated the country this summer. They will now be able to retire from the age of 60 without cuts in their pension. In the case that their career has been at least 35 years, they can even retire from the age of 59. This aligns them with firefighters in other public bodies, who have been able to take early retirement since 2008.
Almost a year after receiving the senate's approval, the council of ministers has approved a royal decree that recognises coefficients to reduce the retirement age for forest firefighters based on the exceptionally arduous, toxic, dangerous or unhealthy nature of the work they do. From the entry into force of this modification, the specific reduction coefficient for forest firefighters will be the same as that applied to the service of public administrations or bodies: some 0.20, provided that the person can prove a minimum contribution period of 15 years as a forest firefighter.
In other words, the professional who accredits the minimum contribution will have their retirement age reduced by three years.
However, a forest firefighter may bring forward retirement by up to a maximum of five years before the ordinary retirement age. In other words, a worker who could normally retire at 65 may, at most, retire at 60. By way of exception, those who can prove 35 years of contributions as a forest firefighter may bring forward retirement by up to six years.
Additional contribution
Likewise, the period during which the retirement age is reduced will be counted as contribution time for determining the percentage applicable to the regulatory base used to calculate the pension amount. In turn and in order to maintain the financial balance of the social security system, an additional contribution will be applied.
"We have witnessed first-hand the voracity of the flames and the harshness of the circumstances in which forest firefighters work. The approval this Tuesday in the council of ministers of these reduction coefficients for their retirement is one more step in the recognition of their work and, above all, of the complexity of their work," said minister of inclusion and social security Elma Saiz.
