Coordination with other benefits

You cannot be paid Basic Unemployment Allowance if you are entitled to Sickness Allowance, Partial Sickness Sllowance, special care allowance or maternity, paternity or parental allowance. However, Basic Unemployment Allowance can be paid for the waiting period specified in the Health Insurance Act if you are ill but not eligible for the Sickness Allowance. If the Sickness Allowance is smaller than the unemployment allowance after completion of the waiting period, it is paid at a rate equalling at least 86 percent of the unemployment allowance.

If you are unemployed and have been paid Sickness Allowance for the maximum period (300 days), you have filed a claim for Disability Pension which is either pending a decision or has been turned down, and you meet the eligibility requirements for unemployment benefits, you will continue to be paid the unemployment benefit to which you were entitled.

Unemployment allowance is normally not available for persons receiving a pension. However, the following pensions do not prevent payment of the basic unemployment allowance:

  • partial disability pension and part-time pension. Persons receiving a partial disability pension are eligible for the Basic Unemployment Allowance even if they are not looking for full-time work.
  • Disability Pension paid under the National Pensions Act on account of permanent blindness, mobility disability or need for outside assistance.
  • unregistered pensions (e.g., pensions from a pension fund) are offset against the unemployment allowance
  • disability pensions paid from abroad.

Updated 10/22/12