Restaurants top list of failure to provide senior benefits

Some 33 businesses have been sanctioned so far this year by the Consumer Protection Agency (ACODECO) for failing to comply with the law granting benefits to retirees, pensioners, and senior citizens.

The sanctions were announced by Acodeco on Thursday, March 31 to mark Retiree and Pensioner Day.

The fines amount to $17,396.90, with restaurants, inns, banks, and hotels being the agents that incur the most in the failure to recognize the discount that the beneficiaries of the law, highlighted Acodeco in its press release.

When analyzing the behavior of the 720 economic agents sanctioned from 2019 to date, the fines total $174,595. The most affected non-compliance are restaurants and inns, with 325 fines for $58,925.50; banks, with 82 sanctions for $46,575; hotels or vacation plans, with 65 for $11,455; clinics and hospitals, with 33 for $10,015; cooperatives, with 10 for $6,325; financial, with 15 for $6,075; other activities, with 53 for $5,179.53; travel agency, with eight for $4,750; airlines, with 11 for $4,265; supermarkets, with 10 for $2,850; public services, with 22 for $2,750 and pharmacies, with 14 fines for $2,030.

The proceeds from the fines feed the Special Fund for Retirees and Pensioners (Fejupen), a trust that serves to increase the money of pensioners and retirees from the Social Security Fund (CSS). Acodeco monitors compliance with at least 20 discounts and benefits for retired citizens, pensioners, and the elderly (55 years or older for women, 60 years or older for men).The establishments with attention to the public must keep in a visible place, signs detailing the discounts according to their activity.

In addition, state and private companies that provide public services must have a place or window for the attention of these people.

Complaints for non-compliance with the Law of 1987, can be presented by citizens through the virtual assistant Sindi (Institutional Information and Complaint System), through WhatsApp and Telegram at 6330-3333, the accounts of the social networks AcodecoPma on Facebook, Twitter, and the website of the institution