Thinking of applying for a disability pension but worried you won’t be able to work? There are a lot of myths about disability pensions in conjunction with employment. But find out how it really works in our article. We’ll tell you in advance that you can earn millions of dollars and still get a full disability pension.
Disability pensions are provided by the state to people who are limited in some way from working due to long-term ill health. It is divided into three levels according to the severity of the condition and the degree of incapacity for work.
The disability pension must be applied for either in person at the District Social Security Administration or online via the CSSA ePortal using electronic identification. You can use, for example, a bank identity or a data box. You will then have to fill in an occupational questionnaire, which establishes your qualifications and previous employment, and the assessment will be based on your medical records, which will be requested by the assessing doctor directly from your treating doctor. The authorities then have 90 days to process your application.
In order to get an invalidity pension, you will need an opinion from a doctor recognising you as having a first, second or third degree disability. But in addition, you must also meet a specified length of pension coverage. This is determined by your age as follows:
| Age | Period of insurance |
|---|---|
| up to 20 years | less than one year (even one day) |
| from 20 to 22 years | 1 year |
| from 22 to 24 years | 2 years |
| from 24 to 26 years | 3 years |
| 26 to 28 years | 4 years |
| from 28 | 5 years |
The exception is disability resulting from an accident at work or occupational disease. In these cases, you do not have to meet the prescribed length of pensionable service.
Tip: For a list of diseases and the associated percentage rates of decline in work capacity, see the Decree establishing the percentage rates of decline in work capacity.
The disability pension is paid once a month, either as a cashless transfer to your personal account or your spouse’s account, or by postal order. However, there is a fee for the latter. Last September, the price increased from 29 to 35 crowns. For this reason too, it is worth having the money sent to your account.
Are you convinced that you are entitled to an invalidity pension but have not been awarded one? Contact an Affordable Advocate. We can help you navigate the Social Security Administration’s assessment of your situation and check to see if an error has been made.
The basic rate is the same for all pensions. In 2025 it is CZK 4 660 per month. However, a percentage is added to this. The latter is determined individually from the total period of pension payments, the amount of earnings and the calculated period, i.e. the time from entitlement to the invalidity pension to the retirement age. The amount of your earnings before you became disabled and your degree of disability also play a role.
Tip: You can use one of the calculators freely available on the internet to make a rough calculation.
As we’ve already announced, disability pensions are classified into three levels depending on the severity of your condition and your inability to work. Which tier applies to you is determined by the percentage of your long-term work capacity that is reduced. So let’s take a look at how the grades differ:
Tip: Did you get fired from your job because of your health condition? We’ll make sure you get everything you’re entitled to. We can help you defend yourself against your employer. We can offer a solution in as little as two days, nationwide.
There are many myths about working on a disability pension. However, the truth is that it is possible to work on a disability pension, and indeed often necessary. In fact, an invalidity pension often cannot cover even basic living and food expenses. In addition, 1st and 2nd degree invalids are still obliged to pay pension contributions. As far as health insurance is concerned, this is paid for by the state for 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree disability pensions.
So whether you have a partial or full disability pension, you can work. It is not a problem to work as a regular employee, as a contract worker or as a business owner. Even if you have a level 3 disability, you can still work full-time. For this reason, slightly absurd situations can sometimes arise.
An example of such an absurd situation is a person who needs to use a wheelchair. This falls into the category of a particularly severe functional impairment of the nervous system, which is associated with entitlement to a Grade 3 disability pension. At the same time, however, such a person is easily able to work full-time in sedentary jobs, even as a well-paid IT specialist or successful entrepreneur. He or she can earn hundreds of thousands and still receive a 3rd degree disability pension. On the other hand, we may have a person who suffers from severe anaemia that reduces his overall performance, causing extreme fatigue, dizziness, etc. Such a person cannot do almost any work properly. Yet he or she will only qualify for a first degree disability pension.
You should be aware that in some cases you may be restricted from working. Based on your medical condition, you may be restricted from working at night, you may only be able to work sitting down or you may have limited working hours. You must then comply with these restrictions.
As a disability pensioner, you can theoretically work anywhere. However, you will probably be looking for a job that will place less physical or mental demands on you. Nowadays, it’s not a problem to come across job adverts looking specifically for disabled pensioners. This is because employers with more than 25 employees are required to fill at least 4% of positions with disabled persons. In addition, employment of disabled persons brings benefits to employees in the form of income tax rebates, lower wage costs, etc.
Tip: Are you an employer planning to employ people with disabilities? We can help you navigate employment law and set up employment contracts to comply with the law.
Most often you will find job offers in the form of cleaning, security, sales representatives on the phone, janitors or various manual jobs in so-called sheltered workshops. Sheltered workshops are workshops that only employ people with disabilities. Most often, they make various small items, assemble orders or dispatch and distribute goods.
You can search for jobs for disabled pensioners on traditional job portals or on special Facebook groups for jobs for people with disabilities. In addition, the Employment Agency also publishes this type of job.
Disability pension is often discussed in the context of employment, but what do you need to know about disability pension and health insurance? When you receive a disability pension, health insurance is provided by the state, which means you do not have to pay health insurance on your income. This applies to all three levels of disability. This is important because it leaves you with more money to use for other living expenses. So disability pension and health insurance are closely linked, whether you are on a level 1, 2 or 3 disability pension.
From January 2025, the first phase of pension reform came into force, which also affects disability pensioners. The retirement age will be gradually increased to 67, which means that longer so-called ” credited time” (the period until retirement age) will now be taken into account when calculating disability pensions. The reform also introduces a new way of calculating earnings – from 2026, the percentage of earnings counted in the pension calculation and the percentage rate for each year of coverage will start to decrease, which may slightly affect newly awarded disability pensions of all levels.
For some professions with high physical or mental stress (so-called risk category 4), it is now possible to retire earlier depending on the number of shifts worked, which may also affect the amount of time calculated for invalidity pensioners from these professions. The reform also promotes employment of the elderly and disabled – working pensioners have now received a 6.5% discount on social insurance, which increases their net income and motivates them to remain gainfully employed while receiving a pension. At the same time, the existing system of automatic pension increases for years of service, which applied to disabled pensioners until 2024, has been abolished.
The invalidity pension helps people whose health condition limits their ability to work in the long term. It is divided into three levels according to the severity of the decline in working capacity and its amount consists of a basic part and a percentage. You can apply for an invalidity pension in person at the Social Security Office or online via the CSSA ePortal, and you must provide proof of the required period of insurance, which varies according to the age of the applicant. Receiving a disability pension does not mean that you are not allowed to work – on the contrary, people with disability can work on an employment contract, agreement or business, they just have to comply with any health restrictions. The state pays the health insurance for disabled pensioners.
Yes, disability pension and work are not mutually exclusive. Whether you have a level 1, 2 or 3 disability pension, you can work as a full-time employee, on a contract or in business. The important thing is that your work is appropriate to your health and any limitations imposed by your doctor. You can earn higher amounts – the amount you earn does not directly affect your pension, unless your health changes.
The difference lies in the degree of decline in working capacity. With a first degree disability pension, you can usually work in a lighter occupation without significant restrictions. A Grade 2 disability pension and occupation allows you to work in a limited capacity, often with shorter hours or adapted conditions. With a Grade 3 invalidity pension, work tends to involve more disability, but it is also possible to do suitable work – for example, administrative or creative work.
For all levels of disability, the state pays for your health insurance. So if you receive a 1st degree disability pension and health insurance, you don’t have to pay anything extra. In addition, if you are working, your employer also pays your health insurance, so you are not affected by the premium changes. As a result, your health insurance remains fully covered even if you are gainfully employed.
The terms “full” and “partial invalidity pension” used to be used, but are now replaced by degrees of invalidity. A full invalidity pension corresponds to level 3 invalidity, where there is a reduction in working capacity of 70% or more. A partial invalidity pension corresponds to a 1st or 2nd degree of invalidity. In all cases, you can have a full disability pension and a job and a partial disability pension and a job, as long as you follow your doctor’s recommendations and work in a suitable occupation.
The options for disability retirement and employment today are wide-ranging. Disabled pensioners can use regular job portals, sheltered workshops or the databases of the Employment Agency. In addition, many companies are actively seeking people with disabilities – employers with more than 25 employees are required to employ at least 4% of people with disabilities. This means that there are more and more job opportunities for applicants with 1st, 2nd and 3rd level disability pensions, tailored to their abilities.
Did you apply for a disability pension and get a denial instead of the expected award? Or was your retirement pension calculated differently than you expected? We can help you find out how the Social Security Administration assessed your situation and check whether there was an error.
Ondřej is the attorney who came up with the idea of providing legal services online. He's been earning his living through legal services for more than 10 years. He especially likes to help clients who may have given up hope in solving their legal issues at work, for example with real estate transfers or copyright licenses.
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