Refusal to award a pension
Insufficient employment record on paper, disputed periods of work, errors in records. We examine the grounds for refusal and gather supporting evidence.
We appeal refusals to award pensions and benefits
We confirm employment record through archives, documents and court
We check and challenge the calculation of an awarded pension
We handle disputes over an employer's mandatory pension contributions
We assist with preferential pensions and special working conditions
Send us your employment record book and the refusal — we will tell you which periods can be returned to your employment record and how to do it.
Message us on WhatsAppInsufficient employment record on paper, disputed periods of work, errors in records. We examine the grounds for refusal and gather supporting evidence.
The enterprise has been liquidated, the archive is lost, stamps are illegible. We work with archival certificates, colleagues' documents and witness testimony.
Incorrect dates, missing stamp, corrections without certification. We establish the fact of employment through the court.
We check the calculation of the awarded amount: whether all periods and earnings have been taken into account. The authority will not recalculate on its own, even if it made a mistake.
Hazardous and special working conditions, work in certain industries: confirmation of the right to early award.
The employer failed to pay mandatory contributions. Recovery and inclusion of the period in the employment record.
Disputes over lump-sum payments, inheritance of pension accumulations, transfers between funds.
Award of payments to children and incapacitated family members, confirmation of dependency.
The first consultation is free. If the refusal is justified and the service record genuinely cannot be confirmed, we will say so directly.
Cost
Indicative prices. The exact amount is quoted after reviewing the employment record book and the refusal.
| Service | What is included | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation on a pension matter | Review of the employment record book and the refusal | free of charge |
| Legal opinion | Written analysis of the service record and the grounds for refusal | from 30,000 ₸ |
| Requests to archives | Preparation and sending of requests, handling of responses | from 40,000 ₸ |
| Complaint against refusal | Appeal to a higher authority with justification | from 30,000 ₸ |
| Establishing the fact of employment | Conducting the case in court with witnesses and archives | from 140,000 ₸ |
| Appealing a refusal in court | Full support of the dispute through to a decision | from 150,000 ₸ |
| Recalculation of an awarded pension | Checking the calculation, filing a claim and going to court | from 120,000 ₸ |
| Dispute over pension savings | Inheritance, payments, transfers between funds | from 110,000 ₸ |
Prices are for reference only and do not constitute a public offer. In pension claims, the applicant is generally exempt from the state duty. Archive certificates are paid for separately.
We look at which periods were not accepted and for what reason. This determines all further work.
Dates, stamps, corrections, sequence of entries. Formal defects are a frequent reason for refusal.
State and departmental archives, successors of liquidated enterprises. More is found here than one would expect.
Former colleagues with surviving documents — a lawful means of confirming service.
Sometimes a correctly drafted application with the found documents attached is enough.
The scope of work and the cost are set out in writing before the start.
Establishing the fact of work and obliging the pension to be awarded. In such cases state duty is usually not charged.
We make sure the pension is awarded from the correct date and that all periods are taken into account.
Send us the certificate of service and the decision on the award — we will check the calculation and find what has been missed.
Team
We handle a case from start to finish with the same team: you always know who is dealing with your matter and who to contact.
Practice
Details have been changed and anonymised: the content of the case is protected by professional privilege.
Useful information
A pension in Kazakhstan consists of several parts, and each of them depends on documents that a person collects themselves or receives from an employer. Most often problems begin at the stage of confirming length of service: entries in the employment record book are illegible, the archive has closed, the employer has disappeared, and the database has no periods of work. As a result, the person receives a refusal or a payment that seems unfairly low, even though they have decades of work behind them.
The mistake in such a situation is to accept an oral explanation and do nothing. Every unaccounted entry, missed period or incorrectly prepared document reduces the pension for years ahead, and restoring justice after the fact is more difficult. A pension lawyer helps to work out which periods can be confirmed, where to submit the application and what to do in case of refusal.
A refusal to appoint a pension, uncredited years of work, a small payment amount that has come from nowhere — dozens of people of pre-retirement age in Almaty face this. An accountant will not help here: they see only accruals and contributions, while the dispute is about the right to payment and about confirmation of length of service. That is why a pension lawyer is needed — a specialist who works with the pension legislation of Kazakhstan and knows how to challenge the decisions of the authorities.
A pension lawyer steps in when appointment is refused, a period of work is not taken into account, the amount of the payment is understated, or it turns out that the employer did not transfer the mandatory contributions. Each of these situations has its own strategy and its own set of documents, and a mistake in the deadlines or in the wording of the application can cost months of waiting. Typical reasons to consult a pension lawyer:
These are a refusal to appoint or recalculate, uncredited length of service for years of work, a payment noticeably lower than expected, and the absence of contributions from the employer to the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund.
A pension in Kazakhstan consists of three parts. The basic one is appointed upon reaching pension age, but its amount depends on the length of participation in the pension system: the longer it is, the closer the payment is to the upper limit. The solidarity one is for length of service accumulated before 1 January 1998: the more confirmed years and the higher the average monthly earnings, the larger the amount. The third part is payments from pension savings in the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund, which were formed from mandatory contributions after 1998.
Disputes most often arise around the solidarity part and the savings. Under the solidarity part, years of work are not credited — especially before 1998, when entries in the employment record book are incomplete or the enterprise has closed. Questions about savings arise if the employer did not transfer contributions or the data in the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund differ from the actual salary. To understand which of the parts is understated, a consultation with a lawyer on pension calculation helps: the specialist examines the calculation and shows which periods and amounts to challenge.
| Part of the pension | Basis | What is checked | Common dispute |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Right to a pension | Age and length of participation | Right to payment |
| Solidarity | Service before 1998 | Service and earnings | Periods of work |
| Savings in the UAPF | Mandatory contributions | Amounts in the account | Employer contributions |
A pension consultation begins with checking the calculation for each part.
The main document for periods of work before 2007 is the employment record book: with the introduction of the Labour Code in 2007, record books are no longer kept in Kazakhstan, and information on employment contracts from 2020 is recorded in the unified employment contract recording system. It is supplemented by employment contracts, hiring and dismissal orders, personal accounts and payroll statements, and for periods before the data was transferred to the unified system — archival certificates. If the enterprise has been liquidated, the certificate is requested from the archive, and information on contributions — from the UAPF and the state revenue authorities. Where the records are incomplete, clarifying certificates are issued by the employer or its legal successor.
If the employment record book is lost or the entries are incomplete, the fact of employment is established in court: it is confirmed by witness testimony, orders, payroll records and other documents. A lawyer specialising in pension disputes helps to collect archival certificates, request data on contributions and prepare materials for court. Legal assistance with pension applications is also needed when the record book contains disputed entries: without confirmation, those periods simply will not be counted towards the length of service.
| Period | Document | Where to obtain it |
|---|---|---|
| Employment under an employment contract | Employment record book, employment contract | From the employer, from the employee themselves |
| Liquidation of the enterprise | Archival certificate | State city or departmental archive |
| Salary and contributions | Statement of contributions | Unified Accumulative Pension Fund, state revenue authorities |
| Incomplete or lost entries | Orders, payroll records, witness testimony | From the employer, in the archive, in court |
A pension lawyer assesses which documents are missing and sets out the order in which to obtain them.
If a pension has been refused (the application for a pension is accepted by the State Corporation "Government for Citizens"), there are two routes: first, apply to a higher body — the territorial department or the relevant authority to which the refusing body is subordinate — and then, if the decision is not changed, go to court. A pension lawyer sets out this sequence of appeals so as not to lose time or damage the position through hasty actions. At the first step, a written application is prepared asking for the refusal to be reviewed, with a copy of the refusal, documents on length of service, the employment record book, salary certificates and other supporting evidence attached. Often it becomes clear at this stage that the reason for refusal is a technical error or a missing document, and the matter is resolved without court. If the higher body upholds the decision, the dispute moves to court.
In court, a refusal is challenged with procedural nuances: the claims must be correctly formulated, evidence gathered and motions filed if documents are missing. Here the difference between applying on your own and working through a pension lawyer is clear: the lawyer assesses the prospects, prepares the claim and represents the client in the proceedings. Mistakes are costly — a missed claim or the wrong remedy can lead to the claim being dismissed, and re-filing the same claim is more difficult. A consultation with a pension lawyer before filing the claim helps to understand which documents are needed and what to base the position on.
The employer is obliged to withhold and transfer mandatory pension contributions from the employee's salary. Sometimes money was withheld from income, but it never reached the individual pension account: the company stopped paying, closed down, or simply did not make the payments. As a result, savings turn out to be lower, and this gap is visible when the benefit is calculated.
A pension lawyer or a lawyer dealing with pension matters takes on such episodes: they check the account statement, compare it with payslips and the employment record book, and identify the periods for which contributions did not arrive. Unpaid contributions are recovered, and the information on the account is restored so that it is again taken into account when the benefit is assigned. Consultations on pension matters help to establish whether there is any gap at all and whether it is worth pursuing. What is needed for the check:
A statement from the individual pension account from the Unified Accumulative Pension Fund. Payslips or income certificates for the disputed months. The employment record book, employment contract, hiring and dismissal orders. Information about the employer: details, status, whether it has been liquidated. A certificate or response confirming whether contributions were received for a specific period.
Work in hazardous conditions gives the right not only to preferential service but also to mandatory occupational pension contributions. These are paid by the employer for each employee engaged in such work — this is a separate payment, in addition to ordinary pension contributions. If the contributions were not made, a supplement to the pension may later not be received, or a recalculation may be required.
Whether the employer paid mandatory occupational pension contributions can be checked in the statement from the individual pension account. A lawyer handling pension cases helps to obtain the information, compare it with the employment record book and documents on hazardous conditions. If a gap is found, a consultation on pension matters will indicate how to seek restoration of the records. Pension lawyers also check whether the special conditions codes in the employer's submissions have been distorted.
A pension may turn out to be lower than expected not because of a calculation error, but because certain periods of work were not included in the benefit: information about them did not reach the pension authority or was distorted. A consultation with a pension lawyer helps to establish this: the specialist compares the statement from the individual account with the employment documents and shows which years exactly were omitted. Errors in the data can also be the cause of understatement — an incorrectly stated period, an unnecessary ground for reduction, incorrect registration of preferential status.
To achieve a recalculation, each disputed period must be confirmed and an application submitted with supporting documents. If the pension authority refuses, its decision is appealed to a higher authority and then to court. At this stage, a consultation with a pension lawyer is particularly useful: it is important not to miss the appeal procedure and to formulate the claims correctly.
If part of the employment record was earned outside Kazakhstan, documents of foreign origin must be executed as required by law: with an apostille or consular legalisation, and for countries with which Kazakhstan has a legal assistance treaty — without it, and with a translation into Kazakh or Russian. Without this, the authority assigning the benefit has the right not to accept the papers for credit — and the period will drop out of the calculation. A pension lawyer in such situations checks which confirmations are needed in the specific case.
A consultation with a pension lawyer helps to assess whether the available documents will be accepted and to prepare them correctly. If a refusal has already been received, a lawyer handling pension cases appeals the refusal, taking into account that part of the service is confirmed by foreign papers.
Most often, the following papers are involved:
If there is no employment record book, the entry is illegible, or employment documents are lost, the fact of employment is established in court. A pension lawyer helps gather evidence and draft an application to establish a fact of legal significance: the court accepts certificates, orders, personal accounts, payroll records, and testimony from witnesses who worked alongside you.
Legal advice on pension matters at this stage is needed to understand which evidence is missing and which authorities can issue it. The process takes time, and the court decision is then submitted to the pension authority.
The first meeting with a lawyer begins with reviewing the documents and the specific situation: what length of service is recorded in the statement, which employment periods are closed, and which entries in the employment record book raise questions. Legal consultations for pensioners at this stage are not limited to general advice — the specialist cross-checks the data in the statement against entries in the employment record book, employment contracts, and archival certificates. If documents are missing, how to confirm the length of service in court is discussed.
The second step is to understand which part of the payment appears understated: the basic part, the service-length part, or the accumulations. Legal consultations on pension matters are precisely needed to separate justified doubts from calculation errors and to outline further steps. Legal advice on pension matters helps determine in advance which documents are needed for a recalculation or for going to court, and to avoid wasting time on unnecessary requests.
A legal consultation on pensions resolves most issues without court: checking whether the length of service was calculated correctly, which certificates and archival data still need to be gathered, and where and in what form to submit an application. If the authority refused to grant the payment, that refusal is appealed to a higher authority and then in court — this is where a pension lawyer is needed to prepare the appeal, request the documents, and represent your interests at the hearing.
A separate category is disputes with the employer. When contributions were not paid, they are recovered: first through the state revenue authorities, which administer mandatory pension contributions, and if that does not help — through court. A pension lawyer also handles cases to establish the fact of employment: when the entry is lost, the organisation has been liquidated, or there is an error in the employment record book, the fact is confirmed through court. Consultations on pensions show whether there is any basis for a claim at all and what evidence will be needed.
It is worth starting with a consultation if the situation is at the stage of gathering documents:
You should start by checking what you already have: the employment record book, employment contracts, statements for the funded portion, and archival certificates. This review shows which documents need to be requested additionally and what to build the case position on. Practice shows that most refusals and understated calculations rest precisely on gaps in confirming periods of work. If a certificate cannot be obtained through an ordinary request, the lawyer prepares an application to the archive or goes to court to establish the fact of work.
Legal services on pension matters are not limited to consultation. Legal assistance for pensioners includes preparing applications and complaints to the authorised body, appealing a refusal to award or recalculate a pension, and supporting the recovery of compulsory pension contributions from an unscrupulous employer. Where documents are issued outside Kazakhstan, they may be required to be legalised and translated into Kazakh or Russian to confirm length of service. As a result, the work follows a single route: gather the confirmations, challenge the incorrect decision, secure the payment.
Pension disputes almost always come down to documents: the earlier you start gathering confirmations of length of service and contributions, the more periods will be counted. Do not wait for the pension to be awarded — check your employment record book and statements in advance.
Reviews
Six years of work at a factory that has long been gone were not counted. Asel helped, we found the orders through the archive, the service was included and the pension was awarded with a supplement for the past months. Many thanks to her.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
The stamp in my employment record book was illegible, and that was why they refused. We established the fact of employment through court, former colleagues helped as witnesses.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
When the pension was awarded, the amount seemed strange to me, I had calculated roughly myself and it did not add up. I went to the lawyers to sort out what was going on. They checked the calculation of the awarded pension, and it turned out that a period of service had not been taken into account. They recalculated it, the increase was small but over all the years it came to a noticeable sum.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
Thank you, Pyotr! We are glad we could help sort out the calculation and restore justice. Get in touch if any questions arise.
When I got a formal job, it turned out that the employer had not paid pension contributions for three years. When I found out, I was very upset, I was afraid I might lose my pension rights. On the advice of acquaintances I went to lawyers in Almaty. They checked everything and took it all the way to court. The court included the period I had worked in my employment record. Thank you.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
Thank you, Gulbaram! Such situations are common, and we help prove the employer's liability. If you have any questions, get in touch.
I came for an early pension for hazardous work, I had already been refused, and I did not know where else to turn. The lawyer warned me straight away that the chances were 50-50. The claim was refused and the court did not support it either, but at least we tried.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
After my husband's funeral there were matters left that I had been putting off for months. At first I thought I would sort it out myself, but at some point I just sat down and cried over the papers. My daughter said I should look for a lawyer rather than torment myself. Through acquaintances I found this company, I called and they invited me in for a talk. Viktor listened to me calmly, without rushing, and explained where to go and what to take with me. Before that I had no idea at all who dealt with my husband's savings or where to turn. He helped gather the documents, I signed what was needed and then I waited. After some time everything was arranged and the savings passed to me I went to them once more to clarify a couple of small things, and I did not have to explain anything all over again. Thank you for not leaving me alone with this
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
Thank you for the warm words, Lyubov. We are very glad that Viktor was able to calmly guide you through all the stages, and that the matter ended in your favour. If any questions come up — we are always in touch.
Seven years of service were not counted for me, the enterprise had long been liquidated, and I did not know what to do. I started looking for a lawyer because I was afraid that the pension would not be granted at all. The lawyers found the documents in the archive and got the service included through court.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
The pension was recalculated, it turned out to have been understated. The difference was paid for the past period.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
I'm 71 years old, I wouldn't have figured it out on my own. They came to my home, did all the paperwork. Honestly, I'd like them to answer calls faster, but then it all settled down. We had to bring a couple of papers, but that's minor. They did everything well.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
I worked in one place for many years, and then it turned out that contributions had not been transferred for me. I went to the lawyers because I did not know how to prove my service or where to complain. Dmitry took everything on himself, explained which documents were needed and what to do if they were missing. We gathered certificates, looked for witnesses, prepared the claim. The court case lasted several months, I was nervous, but they supported me. In the end the period was included in my service by a court decision. It turns out I would have suffered on my own, while the employer simply did not pay and that was that. Thank you to Dmitry and his colleagues for not leaving me with this problem
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
The stamp in my employment record book had faded, it was impossible to read. The pension department did not count that period. I asked my former colleagues for help, they agreed to be witnesses. The court heard their testimony and confirmed the period. Thank you to the lawyers.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
Thank you, Tamara! A faded stamp is not uncommon, but it can be proved through witness testimony. We are glad we could help.
I worked in different countries and didn't know how to put everything together for an old-age pension, I was afraid it would drag on. The lawyers helped with the paperwork, explained everything. A complicated case, but they managed it.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
Thank you, Marat! We're glad we could help with the paperwork despite the difficulties. Good luck to you!
I couldn't figure out for a very long time how to process the pension papers, because I'd never dealt with this before. I asked my neighbor, she recommended these lawyers. And they explained everything very patiently, I asked again many times, but no one got annoyed. Thanks for the patience. Though sometimes I waited a bit longer for a reply than I wanted. But the result is good.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
The refusal was due to a discrepancy in the spelling of the surname in the documents. I was at a loss and didn't know what to do, but the lawyers reassured me and got it corrected through court.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
Thank you, Asel! Discrepancies in documents are a common reason for refusals, we're glad we helped put everything right.
I came because I couldn't go to the offices myself, my health isn't what it used to be. Madina did everything under a power of attorney, the pension was granted, I didn't have to go anywhere.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
the preferential service record wasn't recognised. they pulled up the documents on hazardous conditions, and it was recognised
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
It took a long time to collect the certificates, about four months. But there is a result.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
After my husband died I was left with two children and didn't know how to apply for a survivor's pension. I was told it was complicated, and I was afraid I'd be left without support. Dmitry explained what documents were needed and helped collect the certificates. We got everything arranged quickly, without unnecessary running around. I'm very grateful for the sensitivity, because it was hard for me emotionally. The children now receive the pension, and I feel at ease. Thank you very much for your help and patience.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
I retired, but the amount seemed too low to me, I recalculated it myself and found discrepancies. I approached the lawyers to have the calculation checked. They found an error and did a recalculation. The increase is small but over several years it added up to a decent sum. I'm glad I didn't just leave it. Though I had to wait, the result was worth it. Thank you.
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
The attitude was attentive, for an elderly person that matters no less than the result. Yerlan explained everything, though I had to bring in documents a couple of times and wait for an answer. But overall I was satisfied
Service: Pension lawyer in Almaty
FAQ
We examine which periods were not accepted and why. Most such periods are confirmed by archive certificates or established in court.
We request state and departmental archives and look for a legal successor. If the documents are nowhere to be found, we confirm the fact of employment through witness testimony in court.
No. An employee is not responsible for the employer's violations, and the period is included in the length of service by a court decision.
Yes, if periods or earnings were not taken into account in the calculation. Recalculation is done on application, and if refused, through court.
Requests to archives take from a month. A court case usually two to three months. Taking into account the collection of documents, most often three to five months.
For pension claims, the applicant is usually exempt from it. Only archive certificates are paid for separately.
Yes, this is a lawful way of confirming periods of work. Colleagues who have kept their own employment record books from the same period work best.
As a rule, from the date of the initial application, not from the date of the decision. That is why it is important to record the moment the first application was submitted.
The consultation is free. Requests to archives and conduct of the case in court are charged separately, with indicative figures in the price list. There are no surcharges for age or for travelling to an elderly client.
Yes. It is enough to photograph the refusal decision and the employment record book. If that is difficult, we will come ourselves; travelling to elderly people is normal practice for us.
No. The pension lawyer takes on requests, applications to the authority and hearings under a power of attorney. All that is needed from you is documents and a signature.
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Open on ZoonThe first consultation is free. If the matter can be resolved without court, we will say so directly.