During unemployment
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Report your days of unemployment
You must report your days of unemployment to get general social security benefit from Kela.
If Kela has granted you the unemployment-based general social security benefit, you must submit an unemployment status report in the OmaKela e-service for the first 10 working days you have been unemployed.
If your unemployment continues after you have been granted the unemployment-based general social security benefit, you must continue to submit an unemployment status report in OmaKela regularly every 4 weeks.
Also complete an unemployment status report if
- you work during a period of unemployment
- you are absent from employment-promoting services
- you are still unemployed when the employment-promoting service ends.
You can get general social security benefit only for the days you have reported.
Always complete the report for days in the past. You do not have to know about coming changes in your unemployment status beforehand. Visit OmaKela to see when you need to submit an unemployment status report.
Kela gets information on your wages or salary from the national incomes register. We use the information we get when processing applications. We may ask you for more information if we need it.
How long does it take for Kela to process the status report?
Report your days of unemployment
You can only receive general social security benefit for the days you have reported.
Using a form
If you cannot report your days of unemployment in the OmaKela e-service, you can fill in and print out the form Unemployment status report YE 2e (pdf). Send the completed report and any supporting documents by post to Kela, PL 10, 00056 KELA.
Exceptions in the payment schedule at Easter and Christmas
Kela may pay the general social security benefit earlier than usual due to Easter or Christmas. Other mid-week holidays (including New Year’s Day, First of May, Ascension Day, Midsummer’s Eve and Independence Day) do not affect the payment schedule. Visit the OmaKela e-service to see all exceptions to the reporting dates and payment dates for the general social security benefit.
Comply with the requirements of your employment plan
After you have registered as an unemployed jobseeker with the employment services of your municipality of residence (kotikunta), the employment services will make an employment plan with you.
One of the requirements that employment services will set in your employment plan is the number of job applications you must submit in a month to keep your right to the general social security benefit. You will also agree on how you can improve your employment prospects in your employment plan.
Report to the employment services every month on what you have done to make sure you comply with the requirements of your employment plan.
Read more about the employment plan (tyomarkkinatori.fi).
What is a mandatory waiting period?
You may lose your right to the general social security benefit for a fixed period if you fail to look for work or complete other tasks agreed on with the employment services, or if you resign from your job without a valid reason. This fixed period without unemployment benefits is called a mandatory waiting period (karenssi). Employment services issues a statement to Kela on the mandatory waiting period and its length.
Read more about the mandatory waiting period (tyomarkkinatori.fi).
If you do not look for work or complete other tasks as agreed on with employment services, the KEHA centre will impose a 7-day mandatory waiting period on you the first time this happens. You will not get general social security benefit during this time.
The second time it happens, the KEHA centre will impose an obligation to work on you. An obligation to work means that you will lose your general social security benefit for an unspecified period of time. You will get your right to general social security benefit back only after you have fulfilled the obligation to work.
If you participate in employment-promoting services, Kela may pay you the benefit despite the mandatory waiting period.
You get back your right to unemployment benefits paid during unemployment once one of the following criteria is met:
- You work for 12 calendar weeks in a job that counts toward the work requirement.
- You participate in employment-promoting services for 12 calendar weeks.
- You study on a full-time basis for 12 calendar weeks.
- You are self-employed or work as an independent entrepreneur on a full-time basis for 12 calendar weeks.
If you do not meet any of these criteria, the work requirement will be lifted once 5 years have passed since the KEHA Centre set it.
What are you required to do during and after the mandatory waiting period?
During a short mandatory waiting period (5 or 10 working days), you must report your days of unemployment to Kela.
If the mandatory waiting period lasts 45 days, you must submit a new application for the general social security benefit to Kela after you have completed the mandatory waiting period.
If you lose your right to the general social security benefit for an unspecified period of time, you can apply for the general social security benefit only after you have fulfilled your obligation to work. Employment services will issue a statement to Kela on whether you have fulfilled your obligation to work.
Employment promoting services
You can participate in employment-promotion services if you are unemployed.
Falling ill while unemployed and looking for work
If you fall ill, apply for sick leave. You can lose your unemployment benefits for a specified or unspecified time if you are an unemployed jobseeker and you do not accept work that is offered to you.
If you are an unemployed jobseeker and you fall ill, you can receive sickness allowance.
If you are paid sickness allowance or partial sickness allowance, you cannot get the general social security benefit at the same time.
Waiting period
You can get sickness allowance after you have completed a 10-day waiting period (omavastuuaika). Kela can pay you general social security benefit during the waiting period.
Visit a doctor and request a medical certificate regarding your incapacity for work. The doctor assesses your incapacity for work and also your need of rehabilitation.
Report the period of incapacity for work set out in the medical certificate to the employment services (tyomarkkinatori.fi).
- Apply for sickness allowance from Kela.
- Keep your status as an unemployed jobseeker active also while you are waiting for a decision on your sickness allowance.
- Report the end of your sick leave to the employment services (tyomarkkinatori.fi).
- File an unemployment status report to Kela, so that the payment of your general social security benefit can continue.
If you have been paid sickness allowance for more than 30 days, you must file a new application for the general social security benefit.
If you participate in rehabilitation offered by Kela, you must also report this to the employment services.
Short periods of study while receiving general social security benefit
If you are 25 or older, you can study for short periods without losing your general social security benefit. Short periods of study can last a maximum of 6 months. The studies must provide you with vocational skills or support self-employment. Employment services will check whether these conditions are met.
Read more about short periods of study while receiving unemployment benefit (tyomarkkinatori.fi).
Do you need help with multiple Kela benefits or services?
We recommend calling our customer service if you need help with other Kela benefits or services than just the general social security benefit. Our specialists can help you with all your questions in one call. For example, you can call us if, in addition to being unemployed,
- you have taken periods of sick leave or you have large medicine expenses
- you need rehabilitation
- you want to know if you qualify for social assistance
- you want to apply for an exemption from paying your child support debt
- you are currently paying your student loan back to the bank and you want to know if you can get assistance with your student loan interest.
You can call our English-language customer service number for unemployment matters or choose another number to call based on what you want to ask. Check the list of Kela’s customer service numbers that provide service in English.
You can also visit one of our service points. Look up customer service points.