Massive Pension Protests in Belgium: A Nation at a Crossroads Belgium is currently facing one of the largest national protests in recent years, as thousands of workers from various sectors took to the streets on January 13, 2025, in response to proposed pension reforms. The nationwide strike, which paralyzed essential services, highlighted widespread dissatisfaction and deep-rooted concerns over the financial future of pensioners. Extent and Impact of the Strike The strike affected multiple industries, causing significant disruption across Belgium: Transportation: Nearly half of all flights at Brussels Airport were canceled due to strikes by baggage handlers, security staff, and ground personnel. National train operator NMBS ran only a limited number of trains, while Brussels’ public transport system was heavily affected, bringing daily commutes to a halt. Education: Over 20,000 teachers participated in the protests, resulting in widespread school closures across the country. Public Services: Government offices, postal services, and even...

On January 5, 2025, President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act, a landmark legislation that increases benefits for approximately 3 million public-sector retirees. While this change is beneficial for former government employees, it also exacerbates the financial strain on the Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) Trust Fund, which was already projected to run out by 2033. With this new law in place, depletion is now expected six months sooner, necessitating urgent reforms to ensure the system’s sustainability.  The challenges faced by the SSA in the US are no different than what many social security administrations will be facing around the world. Key Changes Under the Social Security Fairness Act The law eliminates two longstanding provisions that previously reduced benefits for certain public-sector workers: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) – Previously, this rule reduced Social Security benefits for workers who split their careers between jobs that withheld Social...

Introduction Figure 1 – Architecture In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, enterprise software applications must balance functionality, scalability, and ease of maintenance. Organizations are increasingly seeking web-based systems that can handle large numbers of users, integrate with various third-party services, and adapt to changing requirements without sacrificing performance or security. Among such systems is Interact SSAS, an enterprise social security administration system offering all its functionality through an online portal. What makes Interact SSAS particularly noteworthy is its thoughtfully constructed layered architecture, powered by a core set of open-source technologies. Each component within this stack is selected to serve a specific role—whether that involves security, user interface rendering, business logic, data management, or workflow automation. By weaving these technologies together, Interact SSAS provides a reliable, scalable, and efficient platform that can be customized for diverse enterprise environments. This blog post offers a deep dive into the rationale behind Interact SSAS’s...