The professor, who up to now as a scientist assessed pension system in Poland, told PAP that her priorities as head of the plant are bright and stem directly from the Insurance Act – The plant is effectively collect contributions and pay benefits on time. All other functions must be subordinate to and support these two basic tasks. Announced a review of the current policy, personnel and financial and to push for an increase in salaries, which are low in ZUS.
According to prof. Uścińskiej image Social Insurance needs change, because in public perception, ZUS unfairly judged poorly. In its assessment must show a number of positive aspects of the work carried out by the Social Insurance Institution, realizing the functions included in the context of social security, “which are the basis for the social security of the state and us – the citizens.”
Asked about plans to reduce the retirement age, provided that the ZUS can cope. “Since 1999. in the Department implemented over 500 changes in laws and new regulations. So it’s just a matter of what time “- argued.
” We guarantee payment of benefits – and therefore the state – deciding on the legal arrangements concerning the retirement age – is also committed that they will be money for these services, “- he stressed CEO Uścińska.
the professor is still working scientifically – the head of the Department of Social Security of the Institute of Social Policy at the Faculty of Journalism and Political Science. He is also vice dean for. student at the department.
Premier appointed President of the Social Insurance Institution on February 11. ZUS had no president since 1 April 2015. when he left Zbigniew Derdziuk. Responsibilities served as vice president Elizabeth Łopacińska. Currently, apart from Łopaciński the board is supervising the finance department and the implementation of revenue, Paul Jaroszek and supervising division operations and operating systems Radoslaw Stepien.
PAP One week you’re the president of ZUS, before you evaluate it from the outside, as a scientist. What is the inside?
Prof. Gertruda Uścińska: Well …
There are things that are going well, even very well, there are those issues that require detailed examine how IT issues, and legal support. Currently, the audit which will give me an answer to a series of questions and will bring to the implementation of the strategy, which itself I accepted.
PAP: What is the strategy?
GU : the most important for me is that the Social Insurance professionally realized statutory tasks – collection of premiums and payment of benefits. This is the crux of the social security system, its essence. All other things have to serve these tasks – administrative support, information technology, human resources policy, financial.
Capital of the Department there are people who are experienced, properly perform their duties, because the social security system works. We have a high degree of collection of premiums – within the limits of 99 per cent., High punctuality issue decisions, and provide always goes to our customers on time.
There are also areas that require deeper analysis then some optimization.
PAP: What?
GU: process management, which are currently not fully fulfills its role. Improvement requires a policy of human resources and payroll. Salaries in ZUS are really low – approx. 20 per cent. workers earn up to 2 thousand. zł, approx. 70 percent. It is less than the national average. Ago the need to take a look!
Public perception of the Social Insurance is undeservedly bad. It takes hard work from scratch on the image of the establishment.
PAP: How do you think such a negative perception ZUS?
GU: I think that this negative assessment of the Department results from such unconsolidated perception of his case – sometimes unresolved after thought, because someone does not meet the conditions for entitlement to benefits, or failure to comply with its obligations under the law.
When you start to talk with the students, asking if I would speak by ZUS. I say that we will talk about the whole system of social insurance and social insurance is some tool to implement the state policy in this regard. Social insurance is the common good. Retirement, disability, or the short-term, and provide benefits often being the whole family. This is something real, it’s not some illusory solutions.
There is a common saying ‘contributions to social insurance. ” And yet they are not paid to ZUS, but the social insurance – pension, disability, sickness, accident. ZUS is only by virtue of the law designated to collect premiums or sound determining entitlement to benefits, then their pay.
Simply put – the social security of the state is also the smooth functioning of the social security system.
Still, ZUS is perceived badly. I once again emphasize that undeservedly. We have 7.2 million pensioners, approx. 2.4 million companies, 16 million insured persons. Operation of such a range of customers is tedious, hard work, based on knowledge of the law, and efficient operation of information systems.
PAP: What do you have an idea for improving the image of ZUS?
GU: First of all, you need to take care of the improvement of labor relations in the Department so that people began to identify with him. I identify with any of the places where I work: the university, the Institute of Labour, and now also with ZUS. For me it is unnatural not to identify with their company. You need to improve the quality of labor relations, including wages. You have to apply the wise policy of human resources and financial and appreciate all that is capital and what is dysfunctional – eliminate.
PAP: From the time the vacancy after the President Derdziuku Department guided by four, and recently even three persons. Decydowaliście now, what will be the cast of CEOs of the Department?
G.U .: I will say otherwise: it must be in all areas of very strong management, so as to be efficient management at every level of the institution. I’m starting from the analysis and diagnosis, and then see whether the staff changes and to what extent they are needed. In these analyzes, I try to draw the widest possible group of people from ZUS, including branch directors. If they change, then they must be supported by competence. Here is a place for knowledge and skills.
PAP: The professor, known to have been made election promises lowering the retirement age – 60 years for women and 65 for men, and the decisions of Parliament Mrs. will have it actually happen. They will get the money?
G.U .: State Social Insurance Fund is not any secret. This year’s proceeds from the contribution will be in the range of 150 million zł, and the deficit will amount to 53 billion zł, of which 44 billion zł cover the subsidy budget. If the proceeds of the contributions will be smaller, and for lowering the retirement age, they will be smaller, then the state budget will have to make more. It is natural, and so is the law. The provision of guarantees after all, the state.
At once I might add, not to demonize the share of the state budget in the financing of payments from the pension system. It is a common thing in the world. In Germany, the share of the state budget depending on the years it from a dozen to several dozen percent. Currently, the subsidy there is relatively high.
PAP: Trade unions propose to retire after 35 years of work experience for women and 40 years of service for men.
GU: in European countries to move away from this legal structure, because the systems based on defined contribution schemes need a long period of its payment and quite late retirement. The criterion of length can be taken into account for specific industries or occupations. The main determinant must, however, be retirement age. This is a common trend.
PAP: There is always a simple formula – the numerator – the premium, the denominator – more years of life.
GU: Yeah, it’s math approach convinces all of my students beginning. The counter must have the largest amount of contributions, and the denominator below average life expectancy. The longer we work and pays contributions, the more we have in the numerator and the denominator in less time and higher is our pension. If we have less of these contributions, because the sooner we stop work, then of course we will have less retirement.
You need to discuss all these ideas, whereas the stability of funding, but also the amount of benefits.
PAP: you do not have yet a nightmare that comes in this day and pensioners do not get the benefits?
GU: no, because it is impossible. I have another problem – how to ensure a decent level of pension benefits, especially the minimum, but it is a topic for a separate conversation.
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