180,000 Retired Civil Servants Can Rest Easy! Pension Cut Freeze Certification Issued, Li Lai-hsi Confirms Preferential Deposit Credited: Arrears Paid

Last year, Taiwan's Legislative Yuan passed in third reading a bill to halt pension cuts for public servants and educators. Currently, the retirement income replacement rate for approximately 180,000 retired civil servants across Taiwan is being re-evaluated. Li Lai-hsi, former chairman of the National Civil Servants Association, revealed on Facebook on July 9 that he has received the new retirement pension assessment notice. He also announced that, based on the newly confirmed assessment letter, he has reprocessed his preferential retirement deposit amount and completed the crediting procedures.

Li stated that the ongoing constitutional review (interpretation) of this case appears to be nothing more than a fabricated issue—a political cover-up by the ruling Democratic Progressive Party to appease public opinion. He added that fellow retirees can finally breathe easy and now only need to wait for the August 1 disbursement date to see the results.

Li explained that the newly confirmed pension amount is frozen at the 2023 standard, and the official notice clearly states that the new pension payment will be credited on August 1 this year. Additionally, the interest differential for preferential deposits from January to July will also be back-paid. However, due to the government's poor track record of broken promises, and because the case is still undergoing constitutional review, many retirees remain skeptical about whether the new standards will truly be implemented by August 1.

When will the new pension payments be officially disbursed?

According to the new notification, the revised pension funds will be credited on August 1 this year. In addition to the updated income replacement rate standards, the government will also retroactively pay the interest differential for preferential deposits from January to July to eligible retired personnel.

However, since this amendment bill is still undergoing constitutional review by the Grand Justices, many retired civil servants previously worried that political or legal factors might prevent the new standards from being implemented by August 1, resulting in widespread anxiety.

What changes have occurred in preferential bank deposit accounts?

Li Lai-hsi disclosed that on July 8, he personally visited the bank and reprocessed his preferential retirement deposit amount in full accordance with the newly confirmed pension assessment notice. The crediting procedures have now been successfully completed, and the updated deposit amount is clearly displayed on his account screen. The interest differential for preferential deposits from January to July has also been credited.

After checking his passbook, he said, "My long-standing anxiety has finally been relieved." It now appears certain that next month's pension payment will be made under the new standards. He commented that the Ministry of Examination has finally "seen the light."

What are the views on the assessment notice and constitutional review controversy?

Regarding the ongoing constitutional review, Li Lai-hsi stated that the review appears to be a sham issue—a political cover-up by the DPP-led government to respond to public pressure. He believes that the Grand Justices, when faced with substantive rights issues, would not dare to recklessly rule on a retirement pension bill that uniformly applies to all civil servants, educators, police, and firefighters, both active and retired, and that does not increase the government's annual budget by even one cent.

He speculated that the Grand Justices have likely already privately informed the ruling authorities and the Ministry of Examination; otherwise, the Ministry would not have dared to take such action. From now on, the 180,000 retired civil servants and educators across Taiwan will await the August 1 pension disbursement date to see the outcome.