Spain and Colombia enact pension safeguards for workers nearing retirement

In Spain, Social Security announced that workers with fewer than 25 years of contributions can protect their pension amounts through the "integration of gaps" provision, while pension benefits are set to rise in 2026. The legal retirement age will be 66 years and 10 months for those with under 38 years and 3 months of contributions, moving toward 67 years in 2027. Average monthly pensions are slated to increase by up to €40.56.

Colombia's Law 790 of 2002 bars employers from dismissing employees who are within three years of meeting the age (57 for women, 62 for men) and contribution requirements for retirement. The law also protects women from age 54 and men from age 59, as well as mothers heading households and persons with disabilities, unless a serious breach justifies termination.