Early full-rate retirement at 60 for permanent incapacity of occupational origin ('arduous work')

Article 79 of the pension reform act of 9 November 2010 creates Article L. 351-1-4 of the Social Security Code: insured people with a permanent incapacity recognised as resulting from an occupational disease, or from a work accident causing identical injuries, may retire before the legal age with a full-rate pension regardless of their contribution record. Decree No. 2011-353 of 30 March 2011 sets the retirement age at 60 and the required incapacity rate at 20%. People with an incapacity between 10% and 20% may also qualify if they show seventeen years of exposure to occupational risk factors and a multidisciplinary committee confirms the link between the incapacity and that exposure. The scheme applies to pensions starting on or after 1 July 2011.