Frequently asked questions
The Programme applies to beneficiaries of Social Security Fund’s disability pension who are interested in trying to return to work.
For a beneficiary who is currently receiving disability pension from the Social Security Fund, if he/she has found a job and tried to return to work, he/she must complete the Declaration Form for the Employment Incentive Programme for Disability Pension Beneficiaries provided by the Social Security Fund and submit it to St. Lazarus Parish Field Office of the Social Security Fund, Macao Government Services Centre (Social Security Affairs) or Macao Government Services Centre in Islands (Social Security Affairs) within 30 days after the start of trial work.
The beneficiary may also ask someone to submit the declaration form on his/her behalf. The representative must submit the declaration form signed by the beneficiary and a photocopy of the beneficiary’s ID card, and present the original ID card of his/her own.
In accordance with the statutes of the “Employment Incentive Programme for Disability Pension Beneficiaries”, each time of trial work must be reported independently. To participate in the Programme, the beneficiary must report to the Social Security Fund no later than 30 days after the start of trial work and within 30 days after finishing the trial work or 30 days after the end of the maximum period of each trial work (90 days).
In other words, if a person fails to report to the FSS within the time limit but is still working, he/she will be deemed to be working during the period of receiving disability pension, which will result in the disability pension being stopped and the need to repay the benefit improperly received. If the beneficiary wants to continue to receive disability pension, he/she must file an application again and receive an assessment by the medical board.
The Programme is targeted to beneficiaries currently receiving disability pension from the Social Security Fund. If a beneficiary plans to return to work when his/her application is being reviewed, he/she must report this to the Social Security Fund, which will process the case based on the outcome of application and the beneficiary’s trial work.
Whether you are a long-term employee or casual worker, you must report immediately to the Social Security Fund once you have established an employment relationship with an employer. For the employment programme, 12 months is considered as one term, and you may have up to two times of trial work for each term. Each trial work period is 90 days, counting continuously from the first day of trial work even if the actual working days are not consecutive. Please also note that the establishment of an employment relationship also requires the payment of contributions to the obligatory system of the Social Security System according to the relevant regulations.
If a beneficiary is found to be working during the period of receiving disability pension but fail to report to the Social Security Fund according to the statutes of the Programme, the Social Security Fund will stop his/her disability pension according to law and the beneficiary must repay the benefit he/she improperly received. If the beneficiary wants to continue to receive disability pension, he/she must file an application again and receive an assessment by the medical board.
The main objective of the trial work programme is to allow people with disabilities to have an opportunity to try to enter the labour market. If they find themselves unable to adapt to the job, the short-term work during the trial work period will have no effect on his/her disability pension as long as they truthfully report their employment to the Social Security Fund (including the start and termination of employment), and they are not required to receive an assessment by the medical board again.
If a beneficiary works beyond the trial work period (i.e. the number of trial work days exceeds the maximum period of each trial work (90 days), or the number of trial work done exceeds the upper limit of trial work for each term (two times)), he/she will be deemed to have formally entered the labour market from the first day after the trial work period (when he/she no longer meets the eligibility requirements for disability pension), and so the payment will stop. On the other hand, if the beneficiary stops working later, he/she may file an application for disability pension again to the Social Security Fund and receive an assessment by the medical board. The beneficiary will receive disability pension again if he/she meets the eligibility requirements.
Beneficiaries who have participated in the Programme must report to the Social Security Fund no later than 30 days after finishing the trial work or 30 days after the end of the maximum period of each trial work (90 days).
The Social Security Fund has a mechanism － for a beneficiary who has participated in the Programme, if he/she has finished the trial work or has worked for more than 90 days but failed to report to the Social Security Fund in accordance with the relevant regulations, this will result in his/her disability pension being stopped and he/she must repay the benefit improperly received. If the beneficiary wants to continue to receive disability pension, he/she must file an application again and receive an assessment by the medical board.
If you work beyond the trial work period, you will be deemed to have formally entered the labor market from the first day after the trial work period (when you no longer meet the eligibility requirements for disability pension). Your payment will stop in the next month after the last day you meet the eligibility requirements, and all the benefit you improperly received must be repaid. The day beyond the trial work period refers to:
a. The number of trial work days exceed the maximum period of each trial work (90 days), i.e. the 91st day; or
b. The number of trial work done exceeds the upper limit of trial work for each term (two times), i.e. the day you start to work the third time.
Examples are as follows:
Example 1:
A beneficiary started to work for a company on 2 January 2020 and he/she has been at trial work for more than 90 days. 31 March 2020 is the last day he/she met the eligibility requirements for disability pension (i.e. the 90th day), and so his/her payment will stop in April.
Example 2:
A beneficiary started to work for a company on 3 January 2020 and he/she has been at trial work for more than 90 days. 1 April 2020 is the last day he/she met the eligibility requirements for disability pension (i.e. the 90th day), and so his/her payment will stop in May.
Example 3:
A beneficiary started to work for a company on 1 November 2019 and his/her trial work period lasted until 2020. He/she has been at trial work for more than 90 days. 29 January 2020 is the last day he/she met the eligibility requirements for disability pension (i.e. the 90th day), and so his/her payment will stop in February.
Example 4:
A beneficiary started to work the third time on 1 February 2020, and 31 January 2020 is the last day he/she met the eligibility requirements for disability pension, and so his/her payment will stop in February.
NOTE: For the employment programme, 12 months is considered as one term. A beneficiary may have up to two times of trial work for each term. Each trial work period is 90 days. A beneficiary who does not work beyond the trial work period is deemed to be unable to formally enter the labour market and his/her disability pension will not be stopped and the benefit he/she received during the trial work period does not need to be repaid. Only when the beneficiary works beyond the trial work period may he/she be required to repay the benefit according to the above examples.