An employee has the right to receive a pension until reaching the age of 60 (for women) or 65 (for men) due to work performed in special or unhealthy conditions. One of the conditions is to maintain continuous work experience for 15 years.

Early retirement is available to persons who:

• have 15 years of work experience in the railway industry – for persons aged 55 (women) and 60 (men),
• have at least 15 years of work experience under special conditions specified in List A of the Regulation (Wykaz A Rozporządzenia Rady Ministrów z dnia 7 lutego 1983 roku w sprawie wieku emerytalnego pracowników zatrudnionych w szczególnych warunkach lub w szczególnym charakterze przy spełnieniu pozostałych warunków – further the Regulation), – for persons aged 55 (women) and 60 (men),
• have 10, 15 or 20 years of work experience, depending on from the work performed in the position specified in List B of the Regulation.

List A, i.e. the list of jobs in which women aged 55 and men aged 60 must work for at least 15 years, includes work:

• in the mining and energy industry,
• in the metallurgy and metalworking industry,
• in chemistry, construction and the building materials industry,
• in forestry, woodworking and paper industries,
• in light industry,
• in the field of transport and communications,
• in municipal services,
• in agriculture and the agro-food industry,
• in the printing industry,
• in health care and social assistance,
• in glass molding teams.

List B also includes jobs that, if performed for 15 years, entitle the employee to early retirement, including:

• on air transport vessels and in seaports – at least 15 years of work experience and reaching the age of 55 for women and 60 for men,
• in the steel industry – 15 years of work and reaching the age of 55 for women and 60 for men,
• directly involved in asbestos processing, lead and cadmium production, silicon, etc. – at least 10 years and at the age of 50 for women and 55 for men, and others.

Work in special conditions includes work in government control bodies, work as pedagogical workers (teachers, educators), military personnel, firefighters, and other professions.

Determining whether a specific job performed by an employee is work in special conditions is the responsibility of the employer, who includes such information in the work record book or certificate of work in special conditions.

In order for work to be recognized by ZUS as work under special conditions, it must be performed permanently, full-time and on the basis of an employment contract.

The following periods are not included in the length of service under harmful working conditions:

• sick leave,
• maternity and childcare leave,
• study leave,
• other types of leave,
• military service.

More about pensions in connection with work under special conditions – in the article.