What's included in your membership
The Pension Scheme for the Pharmacy Sector (POA) is a statutory, collective pension scheme for those working in pharmacies.
Membership in the Pension Scheme for the Pharmacy Sector (POA) is an essential part of your terms and conditions of employment. Your membership with us includes:
What do you get for the money you contribute?
As a member of the pension scheme for the pharmacy sector, you contribute 3.4 percent of your salary without AFP, and 3.9 percent with AFP. For every NOK you contribute, your employer also contributes around four NOK. These funds are used to secure your pension.
While pensions from other schemes often cease after ten years of payment, pensions from the Pharmacy Sector scheme are paid for life. To assess your real salary and pension, you must, therefore, consider your salary and pension together.
Minimum requirement
To be a member, you must work a minimum of 20 percent of a full-time position. If you work 19.99 percent, you fall below the minimum requirement and will not become a member. This also applies to pharmacy technicians. Pharmacists are also members of the pension scheme.
Membership for multiple positions
If you have multiple positions covered by the pension scheme, you should be a member of the scheme when your total average working hours exceed the minimum requirement (see above). Membership is not granted for positions that together exceed 100 percent.
Transfer Agreement
If you became a member of the pension scheme for the pharmacy sector before February 1, 2003, you fall under the agreement for the transfer of pension rights between public service pension schemes. If you became a member after February 1, 2003, the transfer agreement does not apply to you.
The highest pension basis is 10 times the National Insurance basic amount (G)
Your salary constitutes your pension basis, but it only applies up to 10 times the National Insurance basic amount (G), which is as of 2023 around 830.000 NOK.
Sick Leaves
If you are on sick leave, your membership is maintained as long as sickness benefits or sick pay is paid.
Membership is maintained when you become disabled
For retirement and AFP contractual pensions, you will be removed from the pension scheme if you work in a position below the minimum requirement of 20 percent. However, if you become disabled, your membership is maintained even if you work in a position below the minimum requirement. This means that you earn towards your retirement pension while receiving disability pension.
Membership during unpaid leave
In some cases, unpaid leave for up to two years may be considered pensionable. This applies to:
- Maternity leave
- Adoption leave
- Military service, civil defense service, and civilian service
- Further education for pharmacy service in Norway and abroad
- Leave due to family illness
- Leave due to strikes
Your employer assesses whether a leave case is covered by the agreement and reports it to us.
For other unpaid leaves not mentioned in the list above, you can maintain your membership rights for up to two years without making contributions. However, the leave period is not considered pensionable.
Exemptions or waivers from membership obligation
You can be exempted from membership if you are covered by another pension scheme or when you perform practical service at a pharmacy to qualify for the pharmacy exam.
As of January 1, 2020, the requirement for 5 years of cumulative service was removed, and you should be enrolled in POA even if you will not achieve five years of cumulative service by the retirement age for your position. If you were hired before January 1, 2020, and were not enrolled in POA because you did not meet the 5-year requirement, you should have been enrolled starting from January 1, 2020.
Retaining pension rights if you leave
If you leave a member-liable position in the pension scheme for the pharmacy sector, you retain the right to a pension as a former member.
Multiple sets of rules
The following sets of rules primarily govern the pension scheme for the pharmacy sector. All links go to pages in Norwegian: