The title "Veteran of Labor" was introduced in the USSR as an encouragement to people who distinguished themselves by special labor merits. Labor veterans were provided with certain benefits.
In accordance with the law of the Russian Federation in 1995, the title "Veteran of Labor" became all-Russian, and its assignment was due to the presence of a sufficiently long working experience and awards, distinctions and honorary titles of the USSR and the Russian Federation. The same law defined the list of benefits veterans had the right to. However, since 2005, both the procedure and the conditions for conferring the title "Veteran of Labor" are determined by the regional authorities. In this regard, discrepancies arose between different regions: somewhere, the assignment of the title of a veteran was completely abandoned, and somewhere the list of persons entitled to receive it was even expanded.
For example, a law in Moscow stipulates that a labor veteran is entitled to a 50% discount on utility bills, a telephone, free travel in city and suburban public transport, a monthly cash allowance, and free spa treatment.
To receive the title "Veteran of Labor" it is not necessary to wait until the retirement age. In Moscow, for this it is necessary to collect a package of documents comprising:
- Work record or certificates of archival institutions confirming the seniority
- Certificates of awarding orders and medals
With this package of documents, you should contact the Office of Social Protection of the Population at the place of residence, and on the same day a decision will be issued on conferring the title of "Veteran of Labor" or refusal to do so (in the latter case, reasons must be indicated). However, a citizen will be able to use the benefits provided only after retirement by age.
Winners of the Social Competition badge and other similar insignia often have problems obtaining the Veteran of Labor title in a number of regions, which in some cases can be recognized as a sufficient basis for conferring the title of Veteran of Labor only with the help of the Commissioner for Human Rights and repeated appeals to the court.
Find out how to get the title "Veteran of Labor" in other regions at your local social welfare office. In a number of regions, awards are not even needed to obtain such a title, but only an appropriate work experience is sufficient.
