Unemployment benefit

The law requires the employment services to verify your entitlement to unemployment benefits. Based on your situation, we provide statements to Kela or the unemployment fund, and they use the statement to decide whether you will receive the unemployment benefit.

For this reason, we will send you requests for clarification if we need more information before issuing the statements. The purpose is to find out more about your situation and your right to unemployment benefits. Failure to respond to a request for clarification may cause delays and interruptions in the payment of your unemployment benefit.

Please reply to the request for clarification as accurately as possible, providing all the requested details. It is in your best interests that we have sufficient information about your situation and the reasons that led to it.

We may ask you to provide additional information, missing information or a document, certificate or written description of your situation. We may ask for clarification

• if you have not implemented your employment plan or have neglected the agreed on measures.
• for the reasons why your employment was terminated.
• on starting studies or whether you are a student.
• on applying for education, if you are under 25 years old.
• on missing documents, such as references or study reports.
• on starting a business or being involved in a business.

Once you have provided us with all the necessary information, we will make a statement about your situation as soon as possible. In situations requiring further processing, we will issue a statement within 30 days at the latest.

More information on the statement processing times is available on the TE Services website (in Finnish)

The payer can only make a decision about your unemployment benefit after receiving the statement. You can find information on the payers’ processing times on the websites of Kela or your unemployment fund.

The statement you have receive from the employment services cannot be appealed against separately, but we can re-process it if you have new information that may be relevant, such as a missing certificate or other attachment.

Please leave a contact request through the E-Services.

You can also call the Unemployment benefit advice service.

Appeal instructions on decisions made by Kela and the unemployment funds are in the decision you receive from the payer.

Under legislation, an unemployed jobseeker has certain rights and responsibilities, the purpose of which is to support employment. Your unemployment benefit may be interrupted if the obligations are not met.

The best way to avoid an interruption of your unemployment benefit is to ensure that you meet your responsibilities as a jobseeker in the manner and within the timeframe agreed on with the employment services.

Read more about the rights and responsibilities of a jobseeker

The unemployment benefit will not be cut off immediately, but the measures will be progressively tightened if the responsibilities are repeatedly neglected over a period of 12 months.

• First time: You will receive a reminder that states, for example, that you have not fulfilled a certain obligation. This does not affect the payment of your unemployment benefit.
• Second time: You will be put on a 7-day waiting period, during which you will not receive the unemployment benefit.
• Third time: You will be put on a 14-day waiting period, during which you will not receive the unemployment benefit.
• Fourth time: You will lose your right to unemployment benefits until further notice.

Your right to the unemployment benefit will be restored after a total of, at least, 12 calendar weeks

• in work that meets the conditions of the work requirement.
• in certain services that promote employment.
• in voluntary full-time studies.
• of becoming a full-time entrepreneur or working as an independent professional.

If you resign or refuse to work for no valid reason, or if you are given notice for reasons attributable to you, you may be put on a 30–45 day waiting period (without payment).