Poland: The Social Safety Net During the Transition

Abstract

This paper argues that the brunt of the reform-induced increase in Polish social expenditures has been borne by social insurance arrangements (mainly pensions and unemployment compensation) rather than by social assistance schemes targeted to the poor or more temporary social safety net schemes. This is largely due to ease of access to social security and its more attractive benefit structure. Much of recent social expenditure reform had an ad-hoc nature and was driven by the need to alleviate looming financial, distress. A major policy challenge is to avoid a further burdening of social security by needs that should be addressed by basic income support and emergency assistance policies or by general transfers (e.g., family allowances). Current reform needs are illustrated by using unemployment benefits and pensions as examples.

Social policy and health: transition countries in a comparative perspective

“…In Poland , unemployment benefits financed by employers were in place as early as in the 1980s (Golinowska, Pietka K, Sowada & Zukowski, 2003; Góra & Schmidt, 1998; Inglot, 1995; Maret & Schwartz, 1993). However, the legal right to claim unemployment benefits was not well defined, and benefits were paid out on a discretionary basis.…”

Transition and the fiscal crisis in Central Europe

“…The main factorscommon to other transition economiesinclude generous eligibility conditions for early retirement and disability pensions, and high replacement ratios. As argued by Maret and Schwartz (1993), the social insurance system seems to have played a role, at least to some extent, that should have been assigned to social assistance programmes and other proper safety net provisions. The picture is rather different in the former Czechoslovakia.…”

Poverty and monetary transfers in Belarus: Some options for gradual reforms

“…A survey of the economic difficulties faced by Belarus is in Lych(1996).4 Mounting empirical evidence on these economies is available. See, among many,Okrasa (1988);Abel (1990);Atkinson and Micklewright (1992);Newbery (1992 and;Maret and Schwartz (1993);Perraudin (1994); Vecernik (1997);Andorka and Spéder (1997);Frick et al (1997), Milanovic (1999. Empirical evidence is now emerging also for the countries of the Former Soviet Union:Ahmad (1993);Ahmad et al, (1994);Cornelius (1994);Cheasty and Davis (1996);Horton (1996);Cornelius and Weder (1996);Surinov and Kolosnitsyn (1997);Cox et al (1997);Coudouel et al (1999).…”