Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Africa, 2015
Burundi
Old Age, Disability, and Survivors
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1956.
Current law: 2002 (pensions).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Coverage
Salaried workers covered by the labor code, military and police personnel, workers under contract with the civil service, interns, and apprentices.
Voluntary coverage for persons previously insured for at least six consecutive months.
Exclusions: Self-employed persons.
Special system for civil servants and judges.
Source of Funds
Insured person: 4% of monthly earnings; 5.8% if in arduous work. The voluntarily insured contribute 10% of monthly earnings.
The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are the legal monthly minimum wage.
The legal daily minimum wage is 105 BIF in rural areas and 160 BIF in urban areas.
The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 450,000 BIF.
Self-employed person: Not applicable.
Employer: 6% of monthly payroll; 8.8% for employees in arduous work.
The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are the legal monthly minimum wage.
The legal daily minimum wage is 105 BIF in rural areas and 160 BIF in urban areas.
The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 450,000 BIF.
Government: None; contributes as an employer.
Qualifying Conditions
Old-age pension: Age 60 (age 55 if prematurely aged or age 45 if in arduous work) with at least 15 years of coverage.
Retirement is not necessary.
The pension is payable abroad under reciprocal agreement.
Old-age settlement: Age 60 with at least 12 months of coverage but less than 15 years.
Disability pension: Must be assessed with at least a 66.7% permanent loss of earning capacity and have at least three years of coverage, including six months in the last year. There is no minimum qualifying period for a disability that is the result of a nonoccupational accident.
The pension is payable abroad under reciprocal agreement.
Constant-attendance supplement: Paid if the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions.
Survivor pension: The deceased received or was entitled to receive an old-age or disability pension, or had at least 180 months of coverage at the time of death.
Eligible survivors include the widow(er); unmarried orphans younger than age 16 (age 18 if an apprentice, age 21 if a student, no limit if disabled); and parents if there is no surviving spouse or children.
The widow(er)'s pension ceases on remarriage.
The pension is payable abroad under reciprocal agreement.
Survivor settlement: Paid if the deceased did not qualify for an old-age or disability pension.
Eligible survivors include the widow(er); unmarried orphans younger than age 16 (age 18 if an apprentice, age 21 if a student, no limit if disabled); and parents if there is no surviving spouse or child.
Old-Age Benefits
Old-age pension: 30% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) plus 2% of the insured's average monthly earnings for each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months is paid, up to 80%.
The minimum pension is 60% of the legal minimum wage in urban areas.
The legal daily minimum wage in urban areas is 160 BIF.
The insured may receive the old-age pension and a survivor pension at the same time. If the insured is entitled to the old-age pension and the work injury permanent disability benefit, 100% of the higher pension and 50% of the lower pension is paid. If prematurely aged and under age 60, the insured may not receive both an old-age pension and a disability pension at the same time.
Benefit adjustment: Benefits may be adjusted, depending on the financial resources of the system. (The last benefit adjustment was in 2010.)
Old-age settlement: A lump sum of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) multiplied by the number of 12-month periods of contributions is paid.
Permanent Disability Benefits
Disability pension: 30% of the insured's average monthly earnings in the last three or five years (whichever is greater) plus 2% of average monthly earnings for each 12-month period of coverage exceeding 180 months is paid, up to 80%. If the insured is younger than the pensionable age at the time of the claim, a six-month contribution period is credited for each year the insured is younger than the pensionable age.
The minimum pension is 60% of the legal minimum wage in urban areas.
The legal daily minimum in urban areas is 160 BIF.
Constant-attendance supplement: 50% of the disability pension is paid.
The insured may receive the disability pension and a survivor pension at the same time. If the insured is entitled to the disability pension and the work injury permanent disability pension at the same time, only the higher pension is paid. If prematurely aged and younger than age 60, the insured may not receive both an old-age pension and a disability pension at the same time.
Benefit adjustment: Benefits may be adjusted, depending on the financial resources of the system. (The last benefit adjustment was in 2010.)
Survivor Benefits
Spouse's pension: 50% of the old-age or disability pension the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid to a widow(er).
The pension ceases on remarriage.
Orphan's pension: 25% of the old-age or disability pension the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid for each eligible orphan; 40% for each full orphan.
Dependent parent's and grandparent's pension: If there are no other eligible survivors, 25% of the old-age or disability pension the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid to each dependent parent or grandparent.
All survivor benefits combined must not exceed 100% of the old-age or disability pension the deceased received or was entitled to receive.
The survivor can receive a survivor pension and either an old-age pension or a disability pension at the same time.
Benefit adjustment: Benefits may be adjusted, depending on the financial resources of the system. (The last benefit adjustment was in 2010.)
Survivor settlement: A lump sum equal to a percentage (spouse, 50%; orphan, 25%; other dependents, 25%) of the old-age settlement the deceased was entitled to receive is paid.
Administrative Organization
Ministry of Civil Service, Labor and Social Security (http://www.ministerefptss.gov.bi) provides general supervision.
National Social Security Institute (http://www.inss.gov.bi), managed by a tripartite board and a director, administers the program.
Sickness and Maternity
Regulatory Framework
First and current law: 1980 (health insurance), 1984 and 1993 (labor code), 2002 (social insurance), 2005.
Type of program: Employer-liability (cash and medical benefits) and social assistance (medical benefits) system.
Coverage
Cash sickness and maternity benefits (employer liability): Salaried workers covered by the labor code.
Medical benefits (employer liability): Salaried workers covered by the labor code.
Medical benefits (social assistance): Burundi citizens.
Source of Funds
Insured person
Employer liability: None.
Social assistance: None.
Self-employed person
Employer liability: Not applicable.
Social assistance: None.
Employer
Employer liability: The total cost.
Social assistance: None.
Government
Employer liability: The total cost (provides benefits directly to civil servants).
Social assistance: The total cost.
Qualifying Conditions
There is no minimum qualifying period.
Sickness and Maternity Benefits
Cash sickness benefits: 66.7% of wages is paid for up to three months each calendar year.
Cash maternity benefits: 50% of wages is paid for up to 12 weeks (14 if there are complications arising from pregnancy or childbirth) including at least six weeks after childbirth.
Workers' Medical Benefits
Medical benefits (employer liability): Employers provide medical care for their employees.
Medical benefits (social assistance): Informal workers aged 21 or older can buy a Medical Assistance Card for 3,000 BIF a year and pay 20% of the cost of medicine and 20% of the cost of medical appointments and tests in local clinics and district hospitals.
The public-sector mutual provides medical benefits for civil servants and covers 80% of medical costs, 70% for medicine, and 90% for chronic diseases. Civil servants contribute 6% of salaries (excluding housing expenses). A private-sector mutual was established in May 2014 and is being implemented.
Dependents' Medical Benefits
Medical benefits (employer liability): Dependents' medical benefits are the same as those for the worker.
Medical benefits (social assistance): Pregnant women and children younger than age 5 receive free health care (social assistance).
Administrative Organization
Ministry of Civil Service, Labor and Social Security (http://www.ministerefptss.gov.bi) provides general supervision.
Employers provide benefits directly to their employees.
Work Injury
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1949.
Current law: 2002 (pensions).
Type of program: Social insurance system.
Coverage
Salaried workers covered by the labor code, including agricultural workers, apprentices, trainees, and military and police personnel.
Exclusions: Self-employed persons.
Source of Funds
Insured person: None.
Self-employed person: Not applicable.
Employer: 3% of covered monthly payroll.
The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 80,000 BIF.
Government: None; contributes as an employer.
Qualifying Conditions
Work injury benefits: There is no minimum qualifying period. Accidents that occur while commuting to and from work are covered.
Temporary Disability Benefits
66.7% of the insured's average daily earnings up to a maximum is paid from the 31st day after the disability began (from the second day for a commuting accident or if the employer pays the costs related to the accident) for the total period of incapacity for work, up to six months from the date of the accident. The insured's salary is suspended while receiving temporary disability benefits.
The average daily earnings used to calculate benefits are based on earnings in the three calendar months before the month the accident occurred.
The pension is payable abroad under reciprocal agreement.
Permanent Disability Benefits
Permanent disability pension: If the insured is assessed with a total disability, 100% of the insured's average monthly earnings up to a maximum is paid.
The pension may be paid as a lump sum after five years, subject to conditions.
The average monthly earnings used to calculate benefits are based on earnings in the three calendar months before the month the accident occurred.
Partial disability: For an assessed degree of disability of less than 100%, a percentage of the full disability is paid according to the assessed degree of disability; a lump sum is paid for an assessed degree of disability of less than 15%.
Constant-attendance supplement: If the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions, 50% of the permanent disability pension is paid.
If the insured is entitled to receive the old-age pension and the work injury permanent disability benefit, 100% of the higher pension and 50% of the lower pension is paid. If the insured is entitled to both the nonwork injury disability pension and the work injury permanent disability pension, only the higher pension is paid.
Benefits may be adjusted, depending on the financial resources of the system. (The last benefit adjustment was in 2010.)
Workers' Medical Benefits
Benefits include medical and surgical care, hospitalization, laboratory services, medicine, dental care, transportation, physical therapy, eyeglasses, and rehabilitation.
Survivor Benefits
Spouse's pension: 50% of the old-age or disability pension (if assessed with a permanent total disability) the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid to a widow(er).
The pension ceases on remarriage.
Remarriage settlement: A lump sum of six months of the pension is paid to the widow(er).
Orphan's pension: 20% of the old-age or disability pension (if assessed with a permanent total disability) the deceased received or was entitled to receive is paid for each orphan younger than age 16 (age 21 if a student, no limit if disabled); 40% for each full orphan.
Dependent parent's and grandparent's pension: If there are no other eligible survivors, 20% of the old-age or disability pension the deceased received or was entitled to receive if assessed with a permanent total disability is paid to each dependent parent or grandparent.
All survivor benefits combined must not exceed 100% of the old-age or disability pension (if assessed with a permanent total disability) the deceased received or was entitled to receive.
Benefit adjustment: Benefits may be adjusted, depending on the financial resources of the system. (The last benefit adjustment was in 2010.)
Funeral grant: A lump sum of 30 times the deceased's average daily earnings is paid, up to a maximum.
The average earnings used to calculate benefits are based on the deceased's earnings in the three calendar months before the month the accident occurred.
The minimum grant is 60,000 BIF.
Administrative Organization
Ministry of Civil Service, Labor and Social Security (http://www.ministerefptss.gov.bi) provides general supervision.
National Social Security Institute (http://www.inss.gov.bi), managed by a tripartite board and a director, administers the program.
National Social Security Institute and public or approved private medical institutions provide medical services.
Family Allowances
Regulatory Framework
First law: 1971.
Current law: 1977 (family benefits).
Type of program: Employment-related system.
Coverage
Salaried workers covered by the labor code and apprentices.
Exclusions: Self-employed persons.
Special system for civil servants.
Source of Funds
Insured person: None.
Self-employed person: Not applicable.
Employer: The total cost.
Government: None.
Qualifying Conditions
Family allowances: The insured's wife must not be in paid employment and the child must be unmarried and younger than age 16 (age 21 if a student or an apprentice, no limit if disabled).
Family Allowance Benefits
Family allowances: Specified monthly benefits are paid for the insured's wife and for each child. Benefits are reduced by 50% if the insured works less than four hours a day.
Administrative Organization
Ministry of Civil Service, Labor and Social Security (http://www.ministerefptss.gov.bi) provides general supervision.
Employers pay benefits directly to employees.