On Friday, May 13, 2022, information appeared on the pages of the Government Legislation Center about the referral for publication of two regulations on the cancellation of the state of epidemics and the introduction of the state of epidemic emergency. How will this affect the situation of people who have disability and degree of disability certificates issued by County, City and Provincial Disability Assessment Teams?

For the time being, there is no cause for concern- the regulations do not repeal the provisions on the extension of r ulings. The provision of Article 15h of the Law of March 2, 2020 on Special Arrangements for Preventing, Countering and Combating COVID-19, Other Infectious Diseases and Emergencies Caused by Them is still in effect, so the validity of the rulings is still extended.

There is no information regarding the repeal of the Law of March 2, 2020 on Special Arrangements for the Prevention, Prevention and Control of COVID-19, Other Communicable Diseases and Emergencies Caused by Them. Recall this provision clearly states that:

 For reasons related to the prevention of COVID-19, a certificate of disability or a certificate on the degree of disability, issued for a limited period of time under the Law of August 27, 1997 on vocational and social rehabilitation and employment of persons with disabilities, the validity of which:

1) expired up to 90 days before the date of entry into force of this Law, provided that a subsequent application for a certificate is submitted within this period, shall remain valid until the expiration of the 60th day from the date of cancellation of the epidemic emergency or epidemic condition, but no longer than until the date of issuance of a new certificate of disability or certificate of disability;

2) expires on the date of entry into force of this Law, shall remain valid until the expiration of the 60th day from the date of cancellation of the state of epidemic emergency or state of epidemic, but no longer than until the date of issuance of a new certificate of disability or certificate of degree of disability.

it can be pointed out that a state of epidemic emergency also provides a rationale for extending the validity of rulings.

At present, there is no risk that the revocation of an epidemic state will trigger the running of the deadline for determining the validity of rulings of 60 days from the revocation of a specific state-as indicated in Article 15h of the Law of March 2, 2020 on Special Arrangements for Preventing, Countering and Combating COVID-19, Other Communicable Diseases and Emergencies Caused by Them.

Extension of validity for 3 months, from the date of expiration, also applies to other certificates and entitlement to benefits, among others: certificate of inability to work and inability to live independently, certificates of circumstances justifying the establishment of entitlement to rehabilitation benefit.

About any changes, we will keep you informed.