Labor veteran certificate: benefits and conditions for obtaining

The title “Veteran of Labor” was established back in Soviet times. But in those early years it did not give anything other than status. But in modern Russia, labor veterans are entitled to benefits, so many want this title to be awarded to them. In this text we will figure out how you can achieve the status of “Veteran of Labor” while living in Moscow

1. What rules were in force in the USSR
2. Assignment of federal status
3. Regional labor veterans
4. Where to get a labor veteran in Moscow

Legislation

The main legislative act regulating at the federal level the receipt of the title “Veteran of Labor” is Federal Law No. 5 of 01/12/95 (Article 7). Clarifying provisions concerning citizens awarded departmental insignia before 06/30/16 are contained in Federal Law No. 388 of 12/29/15 (Article 8).

Several categories of pensioners can be recognized as labor veterans:

1. Persons who have awards for work (orders, medals of the USSR and Russia); having departmental insignia (the rules are established at the level of the federal government, specified in each department by its regulations, the length of service to obtain is from 15 years). At the same time, a pensionable work experience of at least 25 years for men and 20 years for women must be accumulated.
2. Citizens working in wartime, under age (requires 40 years of experience for men, 35 years for women).

The next legal act developing the provisions of Federal Law No. 5 is government decree No. 578 of 06/25/16, dedicated to the procedure for establishing departmental insignia. It obliges federal departmental structures to approve regulatory documents relating to the relevant insignia that give the right to the title “Veteran of Labor”.

Industry documents relating to insignia have their own characteristics. Example: in the field of medicine, pr. No. 54n dated 02/15/17, only the Certificate of Honor from the Ministry of Health is called a badge of distinction. Earlier documents refer to such badges, for example, the medal “For Services to Domestic Health Care” and various honorary badges of health workers. Resolution No. 578 has been in force since 07/01/16, therefore, all doctors awarded medals and badges before this date can apply for the title, hoping for a positive result.

It is not necessary to have absolutely all the named merits. Compliance on one of the grounds established by law is sufficient.

Attention! The title “Veteran of Labor” has no statute of limitations.

What rules were in force in the USSR

In the Soviet Union, it was possible to receive honorary status only by nomination from the labor community. Administration and trade union employees petitioned government agencies to nominate a particular employee for an award. In this case, the employee had to meet certain characteristics:

• work conscientiously in one industry without changing jobs;
• develop at least 25 years of experience (for women there is a slight relaxation of 20 years) before reaching retirement age, or receiving a long-service pension.

The concept of “conscientious work” implied either the presence of state and industry awards for professional activities, or the absence of disciplinary and other sanctions at the place of work. Sometimes it was necessary to comply with both points in order to receive a labor veteran for a woman or a man.

And it must be said that quite a large number of workers have received this award: since the introduction of the honorary status, over 39 million “Veteran of Labor” medals have been issued - an analogue of modern “crusts”. And this medal is automatically counted by the authorities of the Russian Federation as compliance with all modern conditions for awarding the title.

Where to apply to receive the title “Veteran of Labor of the Russian Federation”

The review procedure is being developed in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (7-4, Federal Law No. 5). Authorities usually require a standard package of documents, with minor changes.

If a retiree is eligible, he or she must contact local social security offices.

Documents you will definitely need:

• identification (usually a passport);
• photograph of a certain size;
• work book, documents confirming work experience;
• confirmation that the citizen, as a minor, began to work during the Second World War;
• confirmation of the legality of certificates of honor, commendations, departmental insignia, etc., and if the title has not yet been assigned - documentation confirming the right to it.

In addition, you must fill out an application.

On a note! If instead of a pensioner his representative is sent to the authorities, he must confirm with documents his own identity and the right to represent other people’s interests. Usually a passport and power of attorney from the pensioner are presented.

Local authorities encourage people to use convenient Internet services (“State Services”) and act through the MFC. However, it is recommended to contact the social security authorities directly. Firstly, it is better to clarify the composition of the documents on the spot, by obtaining advice from social protection specialists. In addition, for various reasons, not all pensioners can use the “State Services” service. Regional social security websites are another way to clarify all the nuances.

The deadlines for consideration and the list of documents are published on them as official information. A commission of social protection authorities is meeting on the issue of awarding the title. The issue is usually resolved within a month. Within the next 5 days, the pensioner must be officially notified of the result, unless local authorities determine otherwise. If the decision is positive, the pensioner is awarded a labor veteran certificate. If it is lost, a citizen can contact the same address and request a duplicate. Documents are issued free of charge.

Experience

Extensive experience is a prerequisite for obtaining status. In 2016, the length of service requirements became more stringent. Only citizens who have worked in the same field for at least 15 years and received a mark for this will be able to apply for the status. This condition does not apply to people who received status before 2016. The minimum work experience must be at least 20 years (women) and 25 years (men), not counting citizens who began working as minors during the war.

If a refusal is received

This can happen for several reasons:

• there are insufficient rights to obtain a title, or they are absent;
• problems with registration in the region where documents are prepared;
• the information in the documents is unreliable;
• documents are legally invalid.

The refusal of officials must be justified with references to legislation and formalized. The applicant has the right to disagree with him and contact a lawyer or directly file a claim in court to exercise his rights.

Regional regulations may not recognize individual insignia as a basis, but courts usually side with honest workers. Such “controversial” points may include the badge “For Shock Labor”, “Shock Worker of Communist Labor”, etc. If a pensioner has an award, for example “Veteran of Labor” (it was issued by the USSR authorities), but the documents for it have been lost, help access to the archive. A document confirming that the award actually belongs to the citizen and entitles him to benefits will be issued by his employees. In certain cases, contacting the head of the social security service, whose officials rejected the applicant, may help.

Possible reasons for refusing to assign a title to a Muscovite

Suspension of consideration of an appeal is not provided for by law. The refusal is issued by the OSZN in writing. It certainly indicates the reasons for this decision. The rank may be denied:

• in the absence of grounds for granting the title (there is no required length of service or evidence of work during the Second World War);
• when the application or documentation does not meet the legal requirements;
• if the documents have lost their validity;
• when contradictory or incomplete information is presented;
• if not all of the supporting documents have been submitted or if there is none at all.

The applicant has the right to challenge the refusal in court or authorized higher authorities. This is the capital's Department of Labor and Social Protection.

Privileges

The issue of veterans' benefits is one of the most significant, primarily from a financing point of view. Who provides and funds benefits?

Federal Law No. 5 (Article 22) clearly states: preferential treatment occurs in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. This means that the benefit program in each region is different. At the same time Art. 13 of the said Federal Law also provides a general list of benefits for veterans. In addition to pensions, the article names:

• monthly benefit payments;
• compulsory housing;
• reimbursement of housing and communal services expenses and rent;
• medical care;
• prosthetic and orthopedic services.

These guarantees are provided based on the financial resources of the regions and are specified by local legislators. Local authorities can establish their own benefits for this category. In many regions, for example, they are completely exempt from the burden of transport tax. The composition of benefits, compared to the standard, has been significantly expanded in the capital and Moscow Region, and other large Russian cities.

What's the result?

1. Receiving benefits in connection with a citizen’s status as a labor veteran actually depends on the region of residence, as does the procedure for obtaining the title itself.
2. Work experience and awards received by the employee for work, which are documented, play a role. Young children who worked during the Second World War can now also apply for this title, if they have experience, in accordance with Federal Law No. 5.
3. The general list of benefits for labor veterans is specified by region, taking into account the capabilities of their budgets.

What is included in the internship

You can obtain the title of labor veteran if you have accumulated the appropriate work experience. This does not take into account the start of work during the Great Patriotic War. This experience should include the following experience (not only professional):

• military service (other actions equivalent to it);
• time used to care for a child (only 1.5 years for each child, but not more than 4.5 years, can be counted towards the length of service);
• time spent caring for a disabled person (group 1) or a disabled child, as well as relatives who are over 80 years old;
• periods when a person received benefits for temporary disability (insurance cases);
• periods of receiving unemployment benefits, public paid work, moving to a new location for employment (with a referral from the employment service);
• the time while a person was in custody in cases where he was found innocent or if all charges against the person were dropped (unreasonably repressed, exiled and arrested);
• periods of stay of military spouses in places where they could not find work (no longer than 5 years during the entire period of service);
• spouses of diplomats sent abroad for diplomatic purposes.

The designated periods can be formalized as part of the length of service, but cannot replace it completely. A citizen who receives honorary status will be able to use it constantly - it does not have an expiration date. As long as the recipient is alive, he will be a veteran of labor. Changes in the conditions for receiving benefits depend on the region where the pensioner lives. For example, pensioners in Moscow receive 1000 rubles for their status, Penza offers pensioners only 500 rubles as a monthly benefit.

Where to submit

The application is submitted to the Social Protection Department along with the collected documents. The citizen applies to the territorial department of the department at the place of registration. Usually, each region has its own sample application, but in principle its points cannot be changed. The application is drawn up in the name of the head of the Social Security Authority and contains requests for the assignment of a title. At the end there is a signature and date.

When accepting an application and a set of documents, the Social Protection Authority compiles a dossier for the citizen. The submitted documents are filed in it. During the first month, the commission holds a meeting, in which employees of the relevant department where the applicant worked take part. The task of the commission members is to discuss the issue of the possibility of assigning a title to a person, making a decision, both positive and negative.

Why you have the right to refuse and what to do

Answering the question of how to become a labor veteran in 2021, we note that refusal to assign status is possible in the following situations:

• no rights to obtain status;
• there is no permanent registration in the locality where you submitted your papers;
• documents have lost their legal force or contain false information.

The citizen is given a written refusal to confer the title “Veteran of Labor” indicating the reasons for the refusal. In this case, there is a chance to appeal it to a higher social security authority and/or in court. For example, sometimes there is an award, but there is no certificate for it - they forgot to issue it or it was lost over many years. Or when a person without awards based on years of experience applies for status. In such cases, people are often denied an honorary title. When resolving a dispute in court, courts sometimes side with the citizen, believing that if there is an award itself, an entry in the work book and confirmation in archival records, then the lack of an ID is not a basis for refusing to confer a veteran title. There are also many controversial situations related to the approval of departmental awards and their list. Every industry has different awards and hence the right basis needs to be found to establish their legitimacy. In this case, you should seek help from a competent lawyer.

What does the title give?

The medal allows holders to receive various benefits:

• free medical care, including dental treatment and prosthetics;
• compensation for housing costs;
• tax discounts;
• additional bonuses to pensions by region.

According to Article 22 of the Federal Law “On Veterans”, each subject of the Russian Federation has the right to independently establish the amount of additional payment to pensions. Additional payment to the pension is not mandatory and is decided in each region at its own discretion. Detailed information about all benefits must be found on state portals, because each region establishes special benefits for veterans.

Legislative regulation

Granting the status of “Veteran of Labor” on the territory of the Russian Federation is regulated by the following legislative acts :

• Federal Law N5 “On Veterans”, which clearly describes the concept of this title and the conditions under which the status can be granted;
• Federal Law N388, which supplements the previous document;
• Article 22 of Federal Law N5, which describes the types of benefits for holders of the title “Veteran of Labor”.

In addition, there is also a Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation, which describes the conditions for receiving awards and orders by citizens for labor services to the fatherland, giving the right to obtain the title “Veteran of Labor”.

Mandatory documents

Veteran registration in Moscow and the region is carried out by specialists from the Social Security Administration. A citizen applying for the title must submit a unified and correctly completed application, as well as a package of necessary papers.

The list includes:

• applicant's passport indicating citizenship;
• photo 3*4 - two pieces;
• documents certifying the presence of insignia, medals, and other awards;
• certificates and extracts, work records, which can prove the presence of mandatory work experience.

A particular question among citizens is the possibility of obtaining a title without awards. In this case, there can be two situations. In the first case, the citizen has awards, but the documentation for them is lost.

Under such circumstances, the applicant, until he restores supporting documents, will not be able to submit an application for registration of veteran status. To obtain the necessary papers, you will need to contact the state archives and submit an application for restoration. The second situation arises if the applicant for the title has no awards at all.

There is only one possibility of obtaining the desired status - this is if the citizen began working during the 1941-1945 war and can document this fact. In such circumstances, awards are not required for registration.

Awards

To obtain status, employees must have a certain set of marks or awards. They are divided into several categories:

• orders and medals;
• ranks;
• departmental awards of the Russian Federation and the Soviet Union;
• Rare type awards.

You can acquire the title of labor veterans without awards. It is enough to work from childhood, starting from the Second World War, and gain a lot of work experience. Detailed information can be obtained from legal advice.

Rules for drawing up an application

Download the application form for this title.

The application is drawn up in a clearly established form .

It should contain the following information :

• name of the body to which it is submitted;
• full name of the applicant for the title;
• grounds for assigning status;
• list of accompanying documentation;
• date of preparation and signature of the applicant.

What you need to take with you for registration

If you have all the identification marks, papers and work experience on hand, then for registration you need to take :

• passport (registration);
• work book;
• orders, medals, gratitude, etc.
• photo 3x4 (4-6 pcs.).

The Social Security Department has a sample application that a potential veteran will have to fill out. The package of documents for all regions of the Russian Federation is different, so for information you need to apply in person at the place where the paperwork is completed - to the social protection department or the MFC. The period for consideration of the application and verification of documents is 30 days.