Social Security is a social insurance paid by Brazilian workers with the objective of ensure the worker's livelihood in case of disability or retirement.
It is also the name of the government agency that administers the granting of benefits guaranteed by this social right. Social Security is administered by the Ministry of Social Security.
The workers benefiting from Social Security are called insured and, when they enroll in Social Security, the worker receives an NIT - Worker Identification Number.
See more about the meaning of NIT.
In order to be insured and receive a benefit, it is necessary contribute monthly during the working period. The contribution amount is automatically deducted from the employee's payroll.
The monthly contribution is a guarantee of receiving financial assistance in situations of impossibility of work that are foreseen or in case of retirement.
Employers must also pay a monthly contribution to guarantee their employees' Severance Indemnity Fund. The payment of this amount is made through the FGTS Collection Guide and Social Security Information - GFIP.
The receipt of contributions and payment of benefits is made through the INSS - National Institute of Social Security.
Learn more about the meaning of INSS.
Social Security grants benefits for illness, disability, death, maternity leave and in case of unemployment. It is also responsible for paying theand family allowance, imprisonment allowance and death pension of the insured.
Social Security works with three different regimes: general, own and complementary.
O general regime grants Social Security benefits. It works by monthly contributions from employees, employers, self-employed and rural workers and individual taxpayers.
O own regime is intended for public servants. It is mandatory for employees connected to bodies of federation entities that have defined it as a social security system.
O supplementary regime it is a kind of supplementary pension. It is not mandatory and is not linked to the general regime. It can be used individually or by supplementary pension entities.
See also about the benefit enabled.