Polish teachers face lower pensions due to benefit algorithms

Polish teachers receiving compensatory benefits may face lower monthly payments when transitioning to universal pensions, despite continuing to work and pay social security contributions. A case involving a teacher from the Pomeranian Voivodeship highlighted that her upcoming universal pension could be approximately 250 PLN lower than her current compensatory benefit.

The Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy confirmed that such discrepancies occur due to different calculation algorithms used for compensatory benefits versus universal pensions. According to ministry data, this issue affected approximately 1.3% of educators in 2024, with an average monthly reduction of 308.70 PLN.

While additional professional activity and contributions are factored into pension calculations, the ministry noted that there is no automatic guarantee that a universal pension will exceed the compensatory benefit previously received.