Tweet
More Pension Law Controversy: Young state-run university professors
tend to quit jobs because of reform
Pensions | 05.09.14 | 11:12
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
The controversial pension law that was amended in summer to meet the
requirements of constitutionality has again caused protests - this
time among lecturers and tutors of state-run universities.
Under the law, the requirement to make monthly contributions to the
pension funds in the amount of five percent of the salary is now for
only public sector employees and staffs aged under 40.
In September, several dozen young professors submitted applications to
leave their jobs because of the compulsion to make additional
contributions towards the pension funds. Many of them lecture at
universities as their second jobs, while they have their main incomes
elsewhere and because of the position at state-run schools they are
obliged to make payments in both places.
By the logic of the law on funded pensions after citizens join the
system they can no longer withdraw except in certain cases, like
changing citizenship, etc. Hence, they will have to make the
contributions from their salaries until they attain the retirement age
of 63. The lecturers who want to quit their jobs at the Yerevan State
University and other state-run higher educational establishments,
however, are more angered by the fact that their contributions at the
main jobs are often as comparable to the salaries they receive at
state-run universities, which makes teaching there unprofitable for
them.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, a 30-year-old lecturer at the Yerevan State
University and the American University of Armenia, did not join the
system voluntarily.
"In my opinion, this is robbery in broad daylight. It should be
optional. It is humiliating that you must join it if you work in the
public sector," the candidate of historical sciences tells ArmeniaNow.
Hovhannisyan says that another professor who combined his jobs at the
National Academy of Sciences and the American University of Armenia
decided to leave his position at the Academy, but was told that he
would still continue to be involved in the system as there is no
withdrawing after joining it.
"That's why I say that public sector employees are enslaved. And the
rector tells everyone that we are not state employees and that's why
we don't have social packages," he says.
The law that came into effect last January and concerned all employees
born after 1973 caused large-scale protests in the country after which
the Constitutional Court partially granted the claim of the opposition
and obliged the government and the National Assembly to amend the
legislation, including its part concerning the compulsory nature of
the contributions. Eventually, the amendments stipulated that only
public sector workers under 40 are required to make the contributions
in the form of social payments, while others will have an option to
join the new pension system until July 2017 when it becomes compulsory
for all.
It is remarkable that Yerevan State University Rector Aram Simonyan
has expressed concern about the departure of young specialists from
the higher school because of the compulsion to join the pension system
and even appealed to the minister of education and science.
"My impression is that the minister is optimistic about this matter.
And that's why we have asked some people to be patient until some
solution is given. Some have agreed, others hesitate as to what to
do," Simonyan told the Tert.am news website, saying that he had
already signed three requests for resignations from the 12 submitted.
Leaders of the YSU Trade Union Organization are also worried by the
prospect of mainly young specialists quitting their jobs at the
university. Recently, they addressed an open letter to Prime Minister
Hovik Abrahamyan. They expressed concern that the withdrawal of young
specialists may "significantly affect the quality of education, the
efficiency of organizing the work and on the continuity of
generations."
http://armenianow.com/society/pensions/56622/armenia_universities_lectuerers_pentions
tend to quit jobs because of reform
Pensions | 05.09.14 | 11:12
By Sara Khojoyan
ArmeniaNow reporter
The controversial pension law that was amended in summer to meet the
requirements of constitutionality has again caused protests - this
time among lecturers and tutors of state-run universities.
Under the law, the requirement to make monthly contributions to the
pension funds in the amount of five percent of the salary is now for
only public sector employees and staffs aged under 40.
In September, several dozen young professors submitted applications to
leave their jobs because of the compulsion to make additional
contributions towards the pension funds. Many of them lecture at
universities as their second jobs, while they have their main incomes
elsewhere and because of the position at state-run schools they are
obliged to make payments in both places.
By the logic of the law on funded pensions after citizens join the
system they can no longer withdraw except in certain cases, like
changing citizenship, etc. Hence, they will have to make the
contributions from their salaries until they attain the retirement age
of 63. The lecturers who want to quit their jobs at the Yerevan State
University and other state-run higher educational establishments,
however, are more angered by the fact that their contributions at the
main jobs are often as comparable to the salaries they receive at
state-run universities, which makes teaching there unprofitable for
them.
Hovhannes Hovhannisyan, a 30-year-old lecturer at the Yerevan State
University and the American University of Armenia, did not join the
system voluntarily.
"In my opinion, this is robbery in broad daylight. It should be
optional. It is humiliating that you must join it if you work in the
public sector," the candidate of historical sciences tells ArmeniaNow.
Hovhannisyan says that another professor who combined his jobs at the
National Academy of Sciences and the American University of Armenia
decided to leave his position at the Academy, but was told that he
would still continue to be involved in the system as there is no
withdrawing after joining it.
"That's why I say that public sector employees are enslaved. And the
rector tells everyone that we are not state employees and that's why
we don't have social packages," he says.
The law that came into effect last January and concerned all employees
born after 1973 caused large-scale protests in the country after which
the Constitutional Court partially granted the claim of the opposition
and obliged the government and the National Assembly to amend the
legislation, including its part concerning the compulsory nature of
the contributions. Eventually, the amendments stipulated that only
public sector workers under 40 are required to make the contributions
in the form of social payments, while others will have an option to
join the new pension system until July 2017 when it becomes compulsory
for all.
It is remarkable that Yerevan State University Rector Aram Simonyan
has expressed concern about the departure of young specialists from
the higher school because of the compulsion to join the pension system
and even appealed to the minister of education and science.
"My impression is that the minister is optimistic about this matter.
And that's why we have asked some people to be patient until some
solution is given. Some have agreed, others hesitate as to what to
do," Simonyan told the Tert.am news website, saying that he had
already signed three requests for resignations from the 12 submitted.
Leaders of the YSU Trade Union Organization are also worried by the
prospect of mainly young specialists quitting their jobs at the
university. Recently, they addressed an open letter to Prime Minister
Hovik Abrahamyan. They expressed concern that the withdrawal of young
specialists may "significantly affect the quality of education, the
efficiency of organizing the work and on the continuity of
generations."
http://armenianow.com/society/pensions/56622/armenia_universities_lectuerers_pentions