Payment

Before receiving Sickness Allowance, you must complete a waiting period, which consists of

  • the day of onset of work incapacity and the following 9 working days (including Saturdays)
  • one working day, if you are again unfit for work for a reason for which you already received sickness allowance within the previous 30 days
  • the day of onset of work incapacity and the following three working days, if you are self-employed or a farmer and you are insured under the Self-Employed Persons' Pensions Act or the Farmers' Pensions Act.

Sickness Allowance is paid for weekdays and Saturdays, but not for Sundays, May Day, Independence Day or holidays that fall between Monday and Saturday.

The first instalment is for 6 weekdays and the subsequent instalments are for 25 weekdays each. If you are paid salary while on sick leave, the allowance is paid to your employer. If your wage is smaller than the allowance, the balance is paid to you.

For how long

Sickness Allowance is payable for a maximum of 300 working days (about a year). All days during the past two years on which you were entitled to Sickness Allowance from Kela count towards the total time for which you can receive the allowance.

To receive Sickness Allowance again for the same illness, you must have been fit for work for at least a year in the meantime. If you are unfit for work for another reason, you can receive the allowance normally.

Updated 10/22/12