Published: October 28, 2026
MONROVIA — Employers could no longer force Liberian workers to retire before age 70, and those who do could face up to two years in prison, under a bill Montserrado County Sen. Abraham Darius Dillon introduced in the Senate on Thursday.
By Blamo N. Toe
The bill would amend the National Social Security and Welfare Act to raise the normal retirement age to 70, bar employers from retiring workers solely because they have reached 60 or 65 or completed 25 years of service, and keep employees’ right to retire early by choice.
Under Section 7.4, an employer or officer convicted of unlawfully compelling an employee to retire, or retaliating against an employee for exercising rights under the act, faces six months to two years in prison, a fine of at least US$10,000, or both.
“No employer shall require, compel, induce, or otherwise cause the retirement or termination of employment of an employee solely on the grounds of age prior to the employee attaining the age of seventy (70) years, except as expressly provided in this Act,” Section 4.1 states.
The bill, titled “An Act to Amend the National Social Security and Welfare (NASSCORP) Act, as Amended, to Extend the Retirement Age and to Promote Voluntary Retirement,” received its first reading during the Senate’s regular session and is expected to go to committee.
Dillon argued that current retirement arrangements do not reflect the realities of Liberia’s workforce, because many Liberians begin contributing to the National Social Security and Welfare Corporation late in life and have too little time to build adequate pensions before they retire.
“The proposed Act responds to present workforce and financial realities associated with retirement while preserving an employee’s ability to elect early retirement in accordance with the conditions set forth in the legislation,” the bill reads.
Dillon said longer careers would let workers build larger pensions, keep experienced staff in institutions that need their knowledge and mentorship, and could strengthen the Social Security system’s finances, subject to actuarial assessment and regulatory changes by NASSCORP.
“The Act distinguishes voluntary early retirement from mandatory retirement, allowing eligible employees to retire by choice while preventing coercion, retaliation, and constructive dismissal,” Dillon wrote.
He said the bill would not stop employers from acting on legitimate concerns about performance, restructuring or workplace safety, as long as they follow the law.
“The Act distinguishes voluntary early retirement from mandatory retirement, allowing eligible employees to retire by choice while preventing coercion, retaliation, and constructive dismissal.”
Sen. Abraham Darius Dillon, Montserrado County
Pensions and Protections
Under Section 3.4, employees who retire at 70, or who complete at least 30 years of continuous service, would qualify for full pension benefits without actuarial reduction. Under Section 3.3, those who retire early by choice would keep pension benefits calculated under the amended law.
Section 4.4 provides that completing 25 years of service gives an employee the option to retire but does not allow the employer to end that employee’s service or pressure them to leave.
Section 4.5 would treat demotion, pay cuts, substantial removal of duties or hostile working conditions tied to an employee’s age or length of service as constructive dismissal and a violation of the act.
“Any action taken by an employer that effectively forces an employee to retire before attaining the Normal Retirement Age, including but not limited to material reduction of duties, demotion, reduction of compensation, or creation of hostile working conditions attributable to the employee’s age or length of service, shall constitute constructive dismissal and shall be treated as a violation of this Act,” the bill states.
Workers under 70 who remain physically and mentally able to perform the essential functions of their jobs, with or without reasonable accommodation, would be guaranteed continued employment. Section 5.2 would require employers to provide reasonable accommodation for qualified employees approaching or past 60, consistent with the Decent Work Act.
Employees between 60 and 69 who would otherwise face mandatory retirement when the law takes effect could keep working until 70 if they meet the employment and capability requirements.
The bill exempts safety-sensitive occupations and certain constitutional and statutory offices, and requires NASSCORP and the Ministry of Labor to revise regulations, educate employers and workers, receive complaints and enforce compliance.
“In view of the foregoing, I respectfully request that this proposed Act be placed on the Plenary agenda, read, referred to the appropriate committees for review, and thereafter considered for passage in the interest of Liberian workers, employers, pensioners, and the national economy,” Dillon wrote.
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