ssa-gov/policy/docs/progdesc/ssptw/2010-2011/europe/bulgaria.html
2025-02-19 12:17:21 -08:00

265 lines
No EOL
31 KiB
HTML

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en" class="no-js">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge,chrome=1" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
<meta name="robots" content="noindex">
<title>Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Europe, 2010 - Bulgaria</title>
<meta name="DCTERMS:dateCreated" content="2010-08" />
<meta name="DCTERMS:contentOffice" content="ORDP:ORES" />
<meta name="DCTERMS:contentOwner" content="publications@ssa.gov" />
<meta name="DCTERMS:coderOffice" content="ORDP:ORES:OD" />
<meta name="DCTERMS:coder" content="op.webmaster@ssa.gov" />
<meta name="DCTERMS:dateCertified" content="2025-01-01" />
<meta name="description" content="Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis" />
<meta property="og:site_name" content="Social Security Administration Research, Statistics, and Policy Analysis"/>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/policy/styles/doc.css" />
<link rel="stylesheet" href="/policy/styles/global.css" />
<!-- SSA INTERNET HEAD SCRIPTS -->
<script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.7.1.min.js" integrity="sha256-/JqT3SQfawRcv/BIHPThkBvs0OEvtFFmqPF/lYI/Cxo=" crossorigin="anonymous"></script>
<script src="/framework/js/ssa.internet.head.js"></script>
<script>(window.BOOMR_mq=window.BOOMR_mq||[]).push(["addVar",{"rua.upush":"false","rua.cpush":"false","rua.upre":"false","rua.cpre":"false","rua.uprl":"false","rua.cprl":"false","rua.cprf":"false","rua.trans":"SJ-3a3bb884-f513-47e3-a86c-84bab05e21dc","rua.cook":"true","rua.ims":"false","rua.ufprl":"false","rua.cfprl":"false","rua.isuxp":"false","rua.texp":"norulematch","rua.ceh":"false","rua.ueh":"false","rua.ieh.st":"0"}]);</script>
<script>!function(e){var n="https://s.go-mpulse.net/boomerang/";if("False"=="True")e.BOOMR_config=e.BOOMR_config||{},e.BOOMR_config.PageParams=e.BOOMR_config.PageParams||{},e.BOOMR_config.PageParams.pci=!0,n="https://s2.go-mpulse.net/boomerang/";if(window.BOOMR_API_key="LERZW-HECFS-R8H4E-23UQ7-ERMQB",function(){function e(){if(!o){var e=document.createElement("script");e.id="boomr-scr-as",e.src=window.BOOMR.url,e.async=!0,i.parentNode.appendChild(e),o=!0}}function t(e){o=!0;var n,t,a,r,d=document,O=window;if(window.BOOMR.snippetMethod=e?"if":"i",t=function(e,n){var t=d.createElement("script");t.id=n||"boomr-if-as",t.src=window.BOOMR.url,BOOMR_lstart=(new Date).getTime(),e=e||d.body,e.appendChild(t)},!window.addEventListener&&window.attachEvent&&navigator.userAgent.match(/MSIE [67]\./))return window.BOOMR.snippetMethod="s",void t(i.parentNode,"boomr-async");a=document.createElement("IFRAME"),a.src="about:blank",a.title="",a.role="presentation",a.loading="eager",r=(a.frameElement||a).style,r.width=0,r.height=0,r.border=0,r.display="none",i.parentNode.appendChild(a);try{O=a.contentWindow,d=O.document.open()}catch(_){n=document.domain,a.src="javascript:var d=document.open();d.domain='"+n+"';void(0);",O=a.contentWindow,d=O.document.open()}if(n)d._boomrl=function(){this.domain=n,t()},d.write("<bo"+"dy onload='document._boomrl();'>");else if(O._boomrl=function(){t()},O.addEventListener)O.addEventListener("load",O._boomrl,!1);else if(O.attachEvent)O.attachEvent("onload",O._boomrl);d.close()}function a(e){window.BOOMR_onload=e&&e.timeStamp||(new Date).getTime()}if(!window.BOOMR||!window.BOOMR.version&&!window.BOOMR.snippetExecuted){window.BOOMR=window.BOOMR||{},window.BOOMR.snippetStart=(new Date).getTime(),window.BOOMR.snippetExecuted=!0,window.BOOMR.snippetVersion=12,window.BOOMR.url=n+"LERZW-HECFS-R8H4E-23UQ7-ERMQB";var i=document.currentScript||document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0],o=!1,r=document.createElement("link");if(r.relList&&"function"==typeof r.relList.supports&&r.relList.supports("preload")&&"as"in r)window.BOOMR.snippetMethod="p",r.href=window.BOOMR.url,r.rel="preload",r.as="script",r.addEventListener("load",e),r.addEventListener("error",function(){t(!0)}),setTimeout(function(){if(!o)t(!0)},3e3),BOOMR_lstart=(new Date).getTime(),i.parentNode.appendChild(r);else t(!1);if(window.addEventListener)window.addEventListener("load",a,!1);else if(window.attachEvent)window.attachEvent("onload",a)}}(),"".length>0)if(e&&"performance"in e&&e.performance&&"function"==typeof e.performance.setResourceTimingBufferSize)e.performance.setResourceTimingBufferSize();!function(){if(BOOMR=e.BOOMR||{},BOOMR.plugins=BOOMR.plugins||{},!BOOMR.plugins.AK){var n="false"=="true"?1:0,t="cookiepresent",a="eyd7g6aaiaaamjqacqdfqaaaabt3mosr-f-109f7d131-clienttons-s.akamaihd.net",i="false"=="true"?2:1,o={"ak.v":"39","ak.cp":"1204614","ak.ai":parseInt("728289",10),"ak.ol":"0","ak.cr":3,"ak.ipv":6,"ak.proto":"h2","ak.rid":"c85a49","ak.r":19138,"ak.a2":n,"ak.m":"dsca","ak.n":"essl","ak.bpcip":"2607:f378:40:6::","ak.cport":40614,"ak.gh":"184.50.26.202","ak.quicv":"","ak.tlsv":"tls1.3","ak.0rtt":"","ak.0rtt.ed":"","ak.csrc":"-","ak.acc":"","ak.t":"1739995729","ak.ak":"hOBiQwZUYzCg5VSAfCLimQ==RIWEBu6lEXh73P9V0fhDUgUfx7eqiBDR73r8NmI2zW451MXcF+mth8wmWyAMErPK9pp9p48Faan7N7dYHOv2fx6XhK33Bk13uZENg/HrSvNezuIfzA46iVr9wHX3EJ7qfXFL6UXpOlIwsLOxhWI0nDLF5YyU2kM2L0c6H2D8+eGSqdkq3UrJXW+iGvU3e4F0qI+fPLK7swnDq2yjDyzkokUgsaKa8wXgJ/QSkFPcNtUrrPhv1VtUwIqWh7zllylX1Ra0SPapdTRkw/es/pHR0jSRPcNRtM4sB/2jS6HiAQ2feZ1GFAhcjkTAQSqQHOpKKLVlXf3Lm8QxYU6gnq9hO4U+HglWiQorSztSuwEFWarli7ksxp/vk87vhLI6u7ap46T6kv3Or7iFu3Gt6g3tCu/yTXmvyLXKpzNHJNZ1KLw=","ak.pv":"98","ak.dpoabenc":"","ak.tf":i};if(""!==t)o["ak.ruds"]=t;var r={i:!1,av:function(n){var t="http.initiator";if(n&&(!n[t]||"spa_hard"===n[t]))o["ak.feo"]=void 0!==e.aFeoApplied?1:0,BOOMR.addVar(o)},rv:function(){var e=["ak.bpcip","ak.cport","ak.cr","ak.csrc","ak.gh","ak.ipv","ak.m","ak.n","ak.ol","ak.proto","ak.quicv","ak.tlsv","ak.0rtt","ak.0rtt.ed","ak.r","ak.acc","ak.t","ak.tf"];BOOMR.removeVar(e)}};BOOMR.plugins.AK={akVars:o,akDNSPreFetchDomain:a,init:function(){if(!r.i){var e=BOOMR.subscribe;e("before_beacon",r.av,null,null),e("onbeacon",r.rv,null,null),r.i=!0}return this},is_complete:function(){return!0}}}}()}(window);</script></head>
<body class="ssptw">
<article>
<header>
<div id="hLogo"><a class="navLogo" href="/policy/index.html">Social Security</a><a class="navSearch" href="https://search.ssa.gov/search?affiliate=ssa">SEARCH</a></div>
<div id="hRedBar">
<div id="hDocInfo">
<h1>Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Europe, 2010</h1>
</div>
</div>
</header>
<nav>
<div id="breadcrumbs" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/BreadcrumbList">You are here: <span itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"><a href="/" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Social Security Administration</span></a><meta itemprop="position" content="1" /></span> &gt; <span itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"><a href="/policy/index.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Research, Statistics &amp; Policy Analysis</span></a><meta itemprop="position" content="2" /></span> &gt; <span itemprop="itemListElement" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ListItem"><a href="index.html" itemprop="item"><span itemprop="name">Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Europe, 2010</span></a><meta itemprop="position" content="3" /></span></div>
<div id="rspaUtil"><ul><li id="mail"><a class="js-ga-event" href="#" rel="nofollow" data-event="outbound-link" data-event-action="click" data-event-label="email-this">Email</a></li><li id="print"><a href="#" rel="nofollow">Save/Print</a></li></ul></div>
</nav>
<div class="innards">
<h1>Bulgaria</h1>
<div class="exchangeRate">Exchange rate: <abbr class="spell">US</abbr>$1.00 equals 1.36&nbsp;leva.</div>
<h2>Old Age, Disability, and Survivors</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1924.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current laws:</span> 2000 (social insurance) and 2000 (pensions).</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance, mandatory individual account, and social assistance system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Social insurance:</span> All employed persons and self-employed persons, freelance professionals, artists, craftsmen, and farmers.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage is not possible.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Mandatory individual account:</span> All persons born after December&nbsp;31,&nbsp;1959, who are covered by social insurance.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<h4>Insured person</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> For persons born before January&nbsp;1, 1960, 7.1% of covered earnings; for persons born after December&nbsp;31, 1959, 4.9% of covered earnings.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory individual account:</span> 2.2% of covered earnings plus up to 1% per year of accumulated funds for administrative fees.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<h4>Self-employed person</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> For persons born before January&nbsp;1, 1960, 16% of declared covered earnings; for persons born after December&nbsp;31, 1959, 11% of declared covered earnings.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory individual account:</span> 5% of declared covered earnings plus up to 1% per year of accumulated funds for administrative fees.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<h4>Employer</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> For persons born before January&nbsp;1, 1960, 8.9% of covered payroll; for persons born after December&nbsp;31, 1959, 6.1% of covered payroll.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory individual account:</span> 2.8% of covered payroll.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<h4>Government</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Social insurance:</span> Any deficit and the cost of social pensions; contributes as an employer.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Mandatory individual account:</span> None; contributes as an employer.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4"><span class="nobr">Old-age</span> pension (social insurance):</span> Age&nbsp;63 (men) or age&nbsp;60 (women). Must have at least 100 points (men) or 94 points (women). (Individuals are awarded one point for each year of age and one point for each year of coverage.)</p>
<p>If the insured has insufficient points, a pension is paid with at least 15&nbsp;years of coverage (including at least 12&nbsp;years of actual service) at age&nbsp;65 (men and women).</p>
<p>Deferred pension: The pension can be deferred. There is no maximum deferral period.</p>
<p>Benefits are payable abroad.</p>
<p><span class="h4"><span class="nobr">Old-age</span> pension (mandatory individual account):</span> Age&nbsp;63 (men) or age&nbsp;60 (women).</p>
<p>Early pension: An early pension is possible, depending on the insured's occupation.</p>
<p>Benefits are payable abroad under reciprocal agreement.</p>
<p><span class="h4"><span class="nobr">Old-age</span> social pension (income-tested):</span> Aged&nbsp;70 or older (men and women) and monthly income of no more than the guaranteed minimum monthly income per family member in the last 12&nbsp;months.</p>
<p>The guaranteed minimum monthly income is 65&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension (social insurance):</span> There is no minimum qualifying period for persons younger than age&nbsp;20 or for persons assessed as blind; 1&nbsp;year for those aged&nbsp;25 to&nbsp;29; 3&nbsp;years for those aged&nbsp;30; 5&nbsp;years for those older than age&nbsp;30.</p>
<p>Ministry of Health Medical Expert Commissions assess the degree of loss of working capacity.</p>
<p>Benefits are payable abroad.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability social pension (income-tested):</span> Aged&nbsp;16 or older with an assessed loss of working capacity greater than 71%.</p>
<p>Ministry of Health Medical Expert Commissions are responsible for assessing the degree of loss of working capacity.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension (social insurance):</span> Paid for children up to age&nbsp;18 (age&nbsp;26 if a student or in military service, no limit if disabled), a surviving spouse within 5&nbsp;years of attaining the normal retirement age (earlier if disabled), and parents older than the normal retirement age (at any age if the insured died during military service) who do not receive a pension in their own right.</p>
<p>Benefits are payable abroad.</p>
<h3><span class="nobr">Old-Age</span> Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4"><span class="nobr">Old-age</span> pension (social insurance):</span> The pension is 1.1% of taxable income for each year of coverage. Taxable income used to calculate benefits is reduced proportionately for partial years of coverage.</p>
<p>The minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension for pensioners with the required number of points at the normal retirement age is 136.08&nbsp;leva a month; pensioners without the required number of points receive 115.67&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>Benefit adjustment: The minimum pension is set annually by law.</p>
<p><span class="h4"><span class="nobr">Old-age</span> pension (mandatory individual account):</span> A pension is paid based on the accumulated capital in the individual account and life expectancy. The pension insurance company pays benefits directly to the insured.</p>
<p><span class="h4"><span class="nobr">Old-age</span> social pension (income-tested):</span> 92.53&nbsp;leva a month is paid.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Disability pension (social insurance):</span> The pension is based on the number of years of contributions, taxable income, the age of the insured if younger than the normal retirement age, and the assessed loss of working capacity.</p>
<p>The minimum disability pension varies from 85% to 115% of the minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension, according to the assessed loss of working capacity (from 115.67&nbsp;leva to 156.49&nbsp;leva a month).</p>
<p>The minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension is 136.08&nbsp;leva a month.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Disability social pension (income-tested):</span> The pension is calculated as a percentage of the <span class="nobr">old-age</span> social pension (92.53&nbsp;leva), according to the assessed loss of working capacity: 120% of the <span class="nobr">old-age</span> social pension (111&nbsp;leva) is paid for a loss of working capacity greater than 90%; 110% of the <span class="nobr">old-age</span> social pension (101.78&nbsp;leva) for a loss of working capacity of 71% to 90%.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension (social insurance):</span> 50% of the deceased's pension is paid for one survivor; 75% for two survivors; 100% for three survivors or more. The pension is split equally among all eligible survivors. Full orphans receive the sum of the pensions of both deceased parents.</p>
<p>The minimum pension for each survivor is 75% of the minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension.</p>
<p>The minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension is 136.08&nbsp;leva a month.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<h4>Social insurance</h4>
<p>Ministry of Labor and Social Policy (<a href="https://www.mlsp.government.bg">http://www.mlsp.government.bg</a>) is responsible for national social insurance and social assistance policy.</p>
<p>National Social Security Institute (<a href="https://www.nssi.bg">http://www.nssi.bg</a>), managed by a tripartite supervisory board of representatives of the government, employers, and workers, administers the social insurance system.</p>
<p>National Revenue Agency (http://www.nra.bg) collects social security contributions and transfers the contributions allocated to the social insurance system to the National Social Security Institute.</p>
<h4>Mandatory individual account</h4>
<p>Financial Supervision Commission (http://www.fsc.bg) is responsible for licensing and supervising pension insurance companies and overseeing the system of mandatory individual accounts.</p>
<p>National Revenue Agency (http://www.nra.bg) collects social security contributions and transfers the part of the contributions allocated to the mandatory individual accounts to the respective pension insurance companies.</p>
<h2>Sickness and Maternity</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1918.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current laws:</span> 1998 (health insurance) and 2000 (social insurance).</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Cash sickness and maternity benefits:</span> Employees working for more than 5&nbsp;days or 40 hours a month, including civil servants, judges, prosecutors, investigators, bailiffs, military personnel, members of cooperatives, paid public officials, and clergy.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage for registered freelance professionals and artisans, sole proprietors, owners or partners in commercial companies, registered farmers, and working pensioners.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Medical benefits:</span> All residents of Bulgaria.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<h4>Insured person</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Cash benefits:</span> 1.4% of covered earnings.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Medical benefits:</span> 3.2% of covered earnings.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<h4>Self-employed person</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Cash benefits:</span> Voluntary contributions of 3.5% of declared covered earnings.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Medical benefits:</span> 8% of declared covered earnings.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<h4>Employer</h4>
<p><span class="h5">Cash benefits:</span> 2.1% of payroll.</p>
<p><span class="h5">Medical benefits:</span> 4.8% of payroll.</p>
<p>The minimum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 240&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> Any deficit; contributes as an employer.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Cash sickness and maternity benefits:</span> The insured must have at least 6&nbsp;months of coverage for sickness benefits or 12&nbsp;months of coverage for maternity benefits.</p>
<p>There is no qualifying period for an insured person younger than age&nbsp;18.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Medical benefits:</span> Must be a resident of Bulgaria.</p>
<h3>Sickness and Maternity Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Sickness benefit:</span> The benefit is 80% of the insured's earnings and is paid for up to 90&nbsp;days. Benefits are also paid for the entire period of a temporary incapacity if the patient is quarantined. Benefits may be paid for sanatorium treatment, depending on the health authority.</p>
<p>Earnings are based on the insured's average daily gross wage or average daily insured earnings in the 6&nbsp;calendar months before the incapacity began.</p>
<p>Benefits are paid for providing care to sick family members and accompanying them to medical treatment: for up to 10&nbsp;days for a family member older than age&nbsp;18; for up to 60&nbsp;days if the family member is younger than age&nbsp;18; for caring for a sick child up to age&nbsp;3 who is hospitalized; or to provide care to a family member for the duration of the quarantine period.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Maternity benefit:</span> The benefit is 90% of the insured's average daily covered earnings and is paid for a period of 410&nbsp;days, beginning 45&nbsp;days before the expected date of childbirth.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Child care benefit:</span> 240&nbsp;leva a month is paid until the child is age&nbsp;2.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Assistance to students:</span> Benefits include a lump sum paid during pregnancy, a lump sum paid after giving birth, a monthly allowance paid for a child until the insured leaves secondary education or up to age&nbsp;20, and a monthly allowance paid for child care for a child up to age&nbsp;1.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Funeral grant:</span> Twice the minimum wage is split equally among the surviving spouse, children, and parents.</p>
<p>The monthly minimum wage is 240&nbsp;leva a month.</p>
<h3>Workers' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Medical services are provided directly to patients according to a contract between medical institutions and the National Health Insurance Fund. Benefits include general and specialist care at health centers, outpatient departments of hospitals, or home; hospitalization; prescribed medicine; dental care; and necessary appliances.</p>
<h3>Dependents' Medical Benefits</h3>
<p>Medical services are provided directly to patients according to a contract between medical institutions and the National Health Insurance Fund. Benefits include general and specialist care at health centers, outpatient departments of hospitals, or home; hospitalization; prescribed medicine; dental care; and necessary appliances.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>National Social Security Institute (<a href="https://www.nssi.bg">http://www.nssi.bg</a>), managed by a tripartite supervisory board of representatives of the government, employers, and workers, administers the social insurance system.</p>
<p>National Health Insurance Fund (<a href="http://www.nhif.bg">http://www.nhif.bg</a>) administers medical benefits.</p>
<h2>Work Injury</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1924.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 2000 (social insurance).</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employees working for more than 5&nbsp;days or 40 hours a month, including civil servants, judges, prosecutors, investigators, bailiffs, military personnel, members of cooperatives, paid public officials, and clergy.</p>
<p>Voluntary coverage for registered freelance professionals and artisans, sole proprietors, owners or partners in commercial companies, registered farmers, and working pensioners.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> Voluntary contributions of 0.4% to 1.1% of income, according to the assessed degree of risk.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> 0.4% to 1.1% of payroll, according to the assessed degree of risk.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> None; contributes as an employer.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Work injury benefits:</span> There is no minimum qualifying period for work injury or occupational disease benefits.</p>
<h3>Temporary Disability Benefits</h3>
<p>The benefit is 90% of the insured's earnings and is paid from the first day of incapacity until recovery or certification of permanent disability.</p>
<p>Ministry of Health Medical Expert Commissions are responsible for assessing the degree of loss of working capacity.</p>
<h3>Permanent Disability Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Permanent disability pension:</span> The monthly pension is between 30% and 40% of the insured's earnings, according to the assessed loss of working capacity.</p>
<p>The minimum disability pension varies from 100% to 125% of the minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension, according to the assessed loss of working capacity (from 136.08&nbsp;leva to 170.10&nbsp;leva a month).</p>
<p>The minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension is 136.08&nbsp;leva a month.</p>
<p>Constant-attendance allowance: If the insured requires the constant attendance of others to perform daily functions, 75% of the <span class="nobr">old-age</span> social pension (69.40&nbsp;leva) is paid.</p>
<p>The <span class="nobr">old-age</span> social pension is 92.53&nbsp;leva a month.</p>
<p>Ministry of Health Medical Expert Commissions are responsible for assessing the degree of loss of working capacity.</p>
<h3>Survivor Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Survivor pension:</span> One survivor receives 50% of the deceased's disability pension; two survivors receive a combined total of 75%; three survivors or more receive a combined total of 100%.</p>
<p>The minimum pension is 75% of the minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension.</p>
<p>The minimum <span class="nobr">old-age</span> pension is 136.08&nbsp;leva a month.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>National Social Security Institute (<a href="https://www.nssi.bg">http://www.nssi.bg</a>), managed by a tripartite supervisory board of representatives of the government, employers, and workers, administers the social insurance system.</p>
<h2>Unemployment</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1925.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 2000 (social insurance).</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social insurance system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>Employed persons.</p>
<p>Exclusions: Self-employed persons.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> 0.4% of covered earnings.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> Not applicable.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> 0.6% of covered payroll.</p>
<p>The maximum monthly earnings used to calculate contributions are 2,000&nbsp;leva.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> None.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Unemployment benefits:</span> The insured must have at least 9&nbsp;months of coverage.</p>
<h3>Unemployment Benefits</h3>
<p>The benefit is 60% of the insured's average earnings in the last 9&nbsp;months. The benefit is paid for up to 4&nbsp;months with at least 3&nbsp;years of coverage; for up to 12&nbsp;months with more than 25&nbsp;years of coverage.</p>
<p>The minimum benefit is 6&nbsp;leva per day.</p>
<p>The maximum benefit is 12&nbsp;leva per day.</p>
<p>The benefit is proportionately reduced for <span class="nobr">part-time</span> workers.</p>
<p>If an eligible worker becomes unemployed within 3&nbsp;years of previous entitlement, the benefit is paid for up to 4&nbsp;months.</p>
<p>The benefit may be combined with a disability pension and family benefits paid for a child younger than age&nbsp;18.</p>
<p>For voluntarily unemployed persons and persons who are dismissed or who become eligible for unemployment benefits within 3&nbsp;years of previous entitlement, only the minimum benefit is paid.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>National Social Security Institute (<a href="https://www.nssi.bg">http://www.nssi.bg</a>), managed by a tripartite supervisory board of representatives of the government, employers, and workers, administers the social insurance system.</p>
<h2>Family Allowances</h2>
<h3>Regulatory Framework</h3>
<p><span class="h4">First law:</span> 1942.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Current law:</span> 2002 (family benefits).</p>
<p><span class="h4">Type of program:</span> Social assistance system.</p>
<h3>Coverage</h3>
<p>All residents of Bulgaria.</p>
<h3>Source of Funds</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Insured person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Self-employed person:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Employer:</span> None.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Government:</span> The total cost.</p>
<h3>Qualifying Conditions</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Family allowances:</span> The monthly income for each family member must not be greater than 350&nbsp;leva (except if the child has a permanent disability). The child must reside in Bulgaria, attend school (from age&nbsp;7 to age&nbsp;20), and not be in a specialized child care institution.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Child-rearing allowance:</span> The monthly income for each family member must not be greater than 350&nbsp;leva. The child must reside in Bulgaria and not be in a specialized child care institution. The allowance is paid until the child is age&nbsp;1 if the mother is not receiving maternity benefits; age&nbsp;2 if the child has a disability, regardless of any family income.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Birth grant:</span> Paid for each live birth regardless of family income.</p>
<h3>Family Allowance Benefits</h3>
<p><span class="h4">Family allowances:</span> Each child receives 35&nbsp;leva a month; for a child with a disability, 100&nbsp;leva a month is paid.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Child-rearing allowance:</span> 100&nbsp;leva a month is paid.</p>
<p><span class="h4">Birth grant:</span> 250&nbsp;leva is paid for the birth of the first child, 600&nbsp;leva for the second, and 200&nbsp;leva for the birth of each subsequent child. For the birth of a child with a disability, an additional 100&nbsp;leva is paid.</p>
<h3>Administrative Organization</h3>
<p>Social Assistance Agency (<a href="https://www.mlsp.government.bg">http://www.mlsp.government.bg</a>) of the Ministry of Labor and Social Assistance administers the program.</p>
</div>
</article>
<nav>
<div class="docNav"><a class="previous" href="belgium.html">Previous: Belgium</a>&nbsp;<a class="toTop" href="#hLogo">Top of page</a>&nbsp;<a class="toTOC" href="index.html#fileList">Table of contents</a>&nbsp;<a class="next" href="croatia.html">Next: Croatia</a></div>
</nav>
<footer><div id="footer">
<div class="important-info"><h4>Important Information:</h4>
<ul><li><a href="/agency/">About Us</a></li>
<li><a href="/accessibility/">Accessibility</a></li>
<li><a href="/foia/">FOIA</a></li>
<li><a href="/open/">Open Government</a></li>
<li><a href="/agency/glossary/">Glossary</a></li>
<li><a href="/privacy/">Privacy</a></li>
<li><a href="https://oig.ssa.gov/report/">Report Fraud, Waste or Abuse</a></li>
<li><a href="/agency/websitepolicies.html">Website Policies</a></li></ul>
</div>
<p class="align-center margin-top">This website is produced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense.</p>
</div></footer>
<!-- SSA INTERNET BODY SCRIPTS -->
<script src="/policy/js/rspa.doc.js"></script>
<script src="/policy/js/rspa-shared.js"></script>
<script src="/framework/js/ssa.internet.body.js"></script>
</body></html>