Requests for pensions and benefits will be analyzed faster by Social Security. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva sanctioned Law No. 14,724/2023, which creates the Social Security Queue Combating Program (PEFPS), which aims to reduce waiting times at the National Social Security Institute (INSS).
Published in an extraordinary edition of Official Diary of the Union on Tuesday night (14), the law is the result of a provisional measure published in July and approved by the Chamber of Deputies in October and by the Senate on the 1st.
To reduce queues, the program provides for the resumption of productivity bonuses for employees who work beyond their regular working hours, both when analyzing benefit applications and when carrying out medical examinations. The program also authorizes, on an exceptional basis, the acceptance of medical and dental certificates that have not yet been evaluated to grant medical leave or to monitor family treatment without official expertise.
Employees and medical experts who work on administrative processes lasting more than 45 days or with an expired deadline will have priority in receiving bonuses.
INSS administrative employees will receive a bonus of R$68 per task; and medical experts, R$75 per examination. The additional productivity was paid in 2019, with the same purpose of reducing queues for requests for retirement, pensions and aid.
Other measures
In addition to reducing INSS queues, the law introduces measures relating to assistance to the indigenous population and the restructuring of positions in the Federal Executive Branch. The law transforms vacant permanent positions into other permanent positions and into commission or trust positions, to meet the demand of government bodies and entities.
The law also simplifies the management of positions and functions to extend the term of temporary contracts for health care for indigenous peoples and, finally, establishes specific personnel rules for exercise in indigenous territories.
Funai
The new law also amends Law No. 8,745, of December 9, 1993, which deals with hiring at the National Foundation of Indigenous Peoples (Funai). Public competitions for local government must now reserve 10% to 30% of vacancies for the indigenous population.
Public servants working at Funai and the Secretariat of Indigenous Health (Sesai) of the Ministry of Health will be able to work on a long-term rotation basis, depending on the administration’s interest. According to legislation, work in this modality allows the employee to remain dedicated to the service for up to 45 consecutive days, ensuring a period of paid rest that can vary from half the total number of days worked.
The law also determines that only people approved in public competitions will be able to carry out direct activities in indigenous territories. The selection processes may provide differentiated scores for candidates who demonstrate experience in activities with indigenous populations.
