Proposed Early Retirement Benefit for Volunteer Firefighters Among Uniformed Services

A new parliamentary petition proposes allowing retired police, firefighters, and border guards to receive a 288 PLN monthly rescue benefit before reaching the standard age of 60 or 65.

The Case for Earlier Access to Rescue Benefits

Retired officers from the Police, State Fire Service, Border Guard, and State Protection Service who have served at least 25 years in Volunteer Fire Brigades (OSP) currently face age restrictions for receiving rescue benefits. Despite being retired from their primary uniformed service, they must wait until age 60 for women or 65 for men to qualify for the 288 PLN monthly payment.

A petition submitted to the Sejm on May 29, 2026, seeks to amend current regulations. The proposal aims to grant these individuals the right to the benefit immediately upon obtaining their primary pension rights, provided they meet the 25-year service threshold in the OSP.

Current Legal Framework and Benefit Conditions

Existing legislation mandates that OSP rescue benefits be paid by the Pension and Disability Department of the Ministry of Interior and Administration. The current monthly amount of 288 PLN is granted to those who have actively participated in rescue operations or training for 25 years (men) or 20 years (women), subject to age requirements.

Proponents of the change argue that the current system fails to account for the career realities of uniformed personnel. Officers who joined the service before 2013 can retire after 15 years, while later recruits retire after 25 years, often leaving them in a financial gap until they reach the mandatory age for the OSP benefit.

Potential Budgetary and Operational Impacts

The petitioner emphasizes that uniformed officers bring significant value to the OSP, including specialized skills such as advanced driver certifications, first aid training, and water rescue qualifications. Integrating these professionals is viewed as an enhancement to voluntary fire services.

While the petition does not include specific financial projections, expanding the number of recipients and extending the duration of payments would inevitably increase state budget expenditures. The proposal now rests with the Committee on Petitions, which must decide whether to initiate legislative work or reject the request.