The retirement age for Greek jobs classified as "arduous" is as early as fifty-five for men and fifty for women. As this is also the moment when the state begins to shovel out generous pensions, more than six hundred Greek professions somehow managed to get themselves classified as arduous: hairdressers, radio announcers, writers, musicians, and on and on and on.
In Greece, individuals in jobs deemed "arduous" can retire significantly earlier than those in other professions, with men retiring at fifty-five and women at fifty. This policy incentivizes a wide range of professions to classify themselves as arduous in order to access early retirement benefits, which come with substantial pensions funded by the state.
As a result, over six hundred occupations, including those that seem unlikely, such as hairdressers and musicians, have secured this classification. This situation highlights the complexities and challenges within the Greek pension system, revealing how various professions seek to benefit from the generous retirement policies in place.
