Condition regarding previous employment

If you meet the condition applicable to an employee or a self-employed person, you are entitled to the Basic Unemployment Allowance, which is not means-tested.

To meet the condition applicable to employees,

  • you must have been in paid employment for at least 34 weeks (about 8 months) during the 28 months preceding the unemployment and
  • you must have worked at least 18 hours per week and
  • your pay must have complied with the terms of the relevant collective agreement or been at least EUR 1134 per month.

To meet the condition applicable to self-employed persons,

  • you must have been self-employed for at least 1,5 years (18 months) during the 4 years preceding the unemployment and
  • your self-employment must have been sufficiently extensive (insurable income under the Self-Employed Persons' Pensions Act consistently at least EUR 710 per month; insurable income under the Farmers' Pensions Act at least EUR 400 per month).

If you alternate between work and unemployed, you need not meet the condition regarding previous employment every time. However, if you withdraw yourself from the labour market for more than 6 months, you cannot be paid Basic Unemployment Allowance until you have met the condition regarding previous employment again.

The period in which the condition must be met, normally 28 months, can be extended for up to 7 years for such reasons as illness, studies or child care responsibilities.

If you have been paid basic or earnings-related unemployment allowance since 1 January 1997, you meet the condition regarding previous employment as long as you have been in paid work for at least 34 weeks during the 24 months preceding the unemployment. For persons who have been self-employed between 16 and 18 months, the condition must be met within a period of 26 months.

Updated 12/19/12