Kela’s services are back to operating normally
The technical problem affecting Kela’s services has been resolved and the services are now back to operating normally. The problem first occurred on 25 March and it partially prevented the use of Kela’s services. Because of this, the wait times for Kela's phone service may be longer than usual. The technical problem did not affect the payment of benefits.
On Monday, 25 March 2024, Kela informed customers of a technical problem which partially prevented the use of Kela’s services. The problem continued on Tuesday morning, 26 March, but it has now been resolved. Kela's services are back to operating normally and customers can take care of their Kela-related matters like usual. Direct reimbursements at pharmacies are also working normally.
“The disruption was caused by a technical problem in Kela’s systems, and we were able to quickly rule out the possibility of a cyber threat or cyber attack. We took steps to resolve the problem as soon as we had located it, but unfortunately the disruption caused by it affected our customer service and the OmaKela e-service for several hours. We are sorry for any inconvenience the disruption has caused to our customers,” says Jukka Melanen, Director of IT Services at Kela.
Because of the technical problem, some customers were unable to log in to the OmaKela e-service. Kela’s customer service specialists were unable to view information on customers. The problem also affected Kela reimbursements, as pharmacies could not see any information about the reimbursements. Customers were still able to receive Kela reimbursements by showing their Kela card.
Wait times for Kela’s telephone customer service longer than usual
While the technical problem was ongoing, Kela’s customer service specialists were unable to view information on customers in Kela’s systems. They were therefore unable to serve customers normally. Customer service specialists at Kela’s telephone service and service points were only able to provide general advice.
“The technical problems we had yesterday may lead to longer wait times for the phone service. We are doing our best to take as many calls as possible so that all customers get the service they need”, says Petteri Taponen, director of Kela's customer service unit.
Because of the Easter holidays, Kela’s service points and telephone service will be closed on Friday, 29 March and Monday, 1 April. On Holy Thursday, 28 March, Kela’s phone service will be open between 9.00 and 13.00.
Customers should be prepared for longer than usual wait times. They should avoid hanging up and calling again, as this will move them to the back of the queue. Customers can view their decision notices and the status of their applications in the OmaKela e-service. OmaKela is available in Finnish and Swedish.
Kela will pay the benefits on time
The technical problem has not affected the payments of benefits, and customers have received their benefits even while the problem was ongoing. Because of Easter, the dates for filing unemployment status reports are earlier than usual and unemployment benefits are also paid earlier than usual. This has made many customers worried as the technical problem made it impossible to access some Kela services.
If the period for the unemployment status report ends on Tuesday, 26 March 2024, or Wednesday, 27 March 2024, the report can be filed on Tuesday, 26 March 2024, and the payment will be deposited into the recipient’s account on Thursday, 28 March 2024, at the earliest.
The last payment date for social assistance before Easter is Thursday, 28 March 2024.