This spring, ERR reported on the concerns of rescue workers that the Social Insurance Board (SKA) was not including their training period in the calculation of their years of service, even though the Rescue Board had confirmed that training runs parallel to active duty. According to the Rescue Board's estimates, SKA's interpretation would have affected the special pensions of more than 400 rescue workers over the next 11 years, with some at risk of losing their pensions entirely.

In April, the Tartu Administrative Court sided with a rescue worker in a case on this very issue, ruling that SKA had incorrectly calculated the length of their service.

At the time, SKA said it would review its administrative practices in light of the court decision and make necessary adjustments. The Ministry of Social Affairs also pledged to revisit the relevant regulations.

Now it has been decided that rescue workers in similar situations will no longer need to turn to the courts to have their service recognized.

"Based on the court decision, the relevant cases have already been reviewed and resolved and SKA will continue to approve similar new applications in the future," Liidia Soontak, adviser at the Ministry of Social Affairs' department of benefits and pension policy, confirmed to ERR.

She added that the ministry will revisit the issue of rescue workers' service time this fall.

Under the law, police officers, rescue workers and prison officers who have worked in their respective fields or positions for at least 25 years are entitled to an early retirement pension based on years of service.

SKA's previous position was that time spent studying at the rescue school could not be counted toward years of service. However, the Tartu Administrative Court ruled in April that training at the rescue school must be included in the calculation of qualifying service for the early retirement pension — especially since the training is mandatory, not voluntary.

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