Employee unemployment security

UNEMPLOYMENT FUND IS YOUR SAFETY NET FOR A BAD DAY

KOKOs membership acts as insurance for you in the event of unemployment. Once you have completed the employment requirement, the fund will pay unemployment benefits to members who become unemployed.
 

Am I automatically a member of the unemployment fund as a member of the Confederation of Finnish Trade Unions?

In general, you will become a member of the unemployment fund when you join the Professionals of Business and Technology Union.

You can also apply for membership of the fund later during your membership. For example, if you were not employed at the time of joining or were a member of another unemployment fund, and therefore did not immediately join KOKO The Unemployment Fund For Highly Educated as a member of the Professionals of Business and Technology.

You can check the status of your membership in our online service >>

If you are a member of the fund through theProfessionals of Business and Technology, the "KOKO-fund" and the date on which you joined the fund will appear in the "Membership information" section in addition to your membership type. You can also join the fund as a member in the online service if you are not yet a member of KOKO Unemployment Fund.


Student Unemployment Security

Black-level student membership includes unemployment security. If you are a Black-level student member, you are already a member of the unemployment fund KOKO and have possibly accumulated the employment requirement. Working students should always choose the Black level, as work done during studies and summer work accumulate the employment requirement. This means that there is a possibility of a better income level in the event of unemployment after graduation.

If you are a Gold or Silver level member, you can join the Black level now if you have a valid employment contract. Graduates should update their membership to the Professionals of Business and Technology Union full membership!

Also see the employment requirement for earnings-related unemployment benefits below.

You can check the status of your membership in our online service >>

If you have any questions about unemployment benefits, you can always contact our unemployment benefit advice.

Unemployment security counseling:
Mon-Thu klo 9-16, Fri 10-16
unemployment@tradenomi.fi
tel. 020 155 8800


Employment requirement is a condition for receiving unemployment benefits

Employment requirement

  • 26 weeks of paid employment, weeks do not have to be consecutive
  • working hours per week at least 18 hours
  • full-time employment salary is at least on the basis of the collective agreement or 1331 € (in 2023)

Employment requirement refers to a condition for receiving earnings-related unemployment benefits, which requires that you have been employed for at least 26 calendar weeks before the start of unemployment.

The working hours must be at least 18 hours per calendar week. You do not need to accumulate the employment requirement continuously, i.e. the weeks do not have to be consecutive. You can therefore accumulate the employment requirement in part-time and part-time jobs - for example during studies or summer jobs.

The salary must be in accordance with the collective agreement applicable in the field or the salary of full-time employment must be at least 1331 euros/month (in 2023) if the salary is not determined on the basis of the collective agreement.

The unemployment fund pays its members earnings-related unemployment benefits during unemployment. The daily allowance amount is determined on the basis of the member's earnings during the accumulation of the employment requirement. The conditions for accumulating unemployment benefit rights and the amount of the daily allowance are determined by law, so there are no differences in the conditions or amounts of unemployment benefits paid by different unemployment funds.

More information on the conditions for accumulating the employment requirement >>


Who is entitled to unemployment benefits?

Unemployment benefits can be paid to the fully unemployed, completely or partially laid off, and those working part-time with working hours of up to 80% of the working hours of full-time employment in the field (usually up to 30 hours). Part-time workers are paid adjusted daily allowance, i.e. the earnings from work are then taken into account as earnings that reduce the full daily allowance.

Unemployment benefits cannot generally be received while studies are in progress, but the day-rate applicant must have already graduated. The financial support for full-time students comes from the student support system. Employees on leave from work can receive adult education support paid by the Employment Fund.

The right to unemployment benefits is subject to the fulfillment of the employment requirement, which is examined from the period immediately preceding the start of unemployment/layoff/part-time work. If the employment relationship immediately preceding unemployment has not lasted for at least 26 weeks continuously, the required number of working weeks for the fulfillment of the employment requirement can be taken into account from the 28-month review period from the date of registration as an unemployed job seeker. The review period may be longer if there has been a valid reason for absence from the labour market (parental leave, full-time studies, military service/civil service, career break, etc.)

If the employment requirement has not yet been met during unemployment fund


The amount of unemployment benefit

The amount of unemployment benefit is calculated based on the accrued salary from the 26 working weeks that meet the employment requirement. In addition to normal monthly or hourly wages, the accrued salary includes, for example, fringe benefits, shift allowances, bonuses, and commission. You can find a more detailed definition of accrued salary here.

You can use the unemployment benefit calculator to estimate the approximate amount of your unemployment benefit. Go to the unemployment benefit calculator.

When using the calculator, keep in mind that the tax rate on earned income is at least 25%, so the tax rate is increased if the tax rate on earned income has been lower than this. When using the change tax card issued for the taxation of social benefits, the withholding tax is made according to the tax rate of the change tax card.


What to do if you become unemployed

1. Register as an unemployed job seeker at the Employment Agency

In order to receive unemployment benefits, you must also be an unemployed job seeker at the Employment Agency. If you become unemployed, laid off, or start part-time work that qualifies you for adjusted daily allowance, register as an unemployed job seeker at the Employment Agency's Työmarkkinatori website no later than your first day of unemployment or the start of part-time work. Benefits can only be paid for the period during which the job search has been active. The job search cannot be started retroactively. Register as an unemployed job seeker at the Työmarkkinatori website.

The Employment Agency's task is to assess whether the conditions for receiving unemployment benefits have been met, such as whether your employment relationship has ended and that you are not, for example, employed full-time in your own business or studying full-time. The Employment Agency will request further information from you if you are involved in business activities or unfinished studies before issuing a statement to the unemployment fund on your right to unemployment benefits.

2. Apply for unemployment benefits from the KOKO unemployment fund

Members of the Confederation of Finnish Trade Unions apply for unemployment benefits from the KOKO unemployment fund if they have met the employment requirement during their membership. When you register as an unemployed job seeker at the Employment Agency, state that the benefits will be paid by the KOKO unemployment fund so that the employment policy statement related to your unemployment benefit case can be given to the right place at the Employment Agency.

The KOKO unemployment fund cannot pay unemployment benefits before receiving a statement from the Employment Agency. If the processing of your case at the Employment Agency is delayed for any reason (for example, due to clarifications of the situation of business activities or studies), it is still a good idea to submit the unemployment benefit applications in accordance with the normal application periods to the KOKO unemployment fund, where they will be waiting for the Employment Agency's statement.

Unemployment benefit applications must be submitted to the unemployment fund within three months of the date from which the benefits are applied for. Unemployment benefit applications and their attachments can be submitted to the KOKO unemployment fund electronically.

Learn more KOKO unemployment fund e-services>>

If you have not met the employment requirement during your membership of the unemployment fund or are not a member of the fund, apply for unemployment benefits from Kela. In this case, notify the Employment Agency that your benefits will be paid by Kela and follow the instructions above with Kela.

Unemployment benefits are always applied for retroactively for days already spent unemployed. The normal application period is a calendar month or a four-week period. You can, if you wish, submit your first unemployment benefit application after two weeks of unemployment so that the unemployment benefit case can be processed as quickly as possible.

At the beginning of the unemployment period, there is a five-day waiting period. If you submit your first application after two weeks of unemployment, please note that the first application period may not have many payable benefit days left.

If you are partially laid off and work a reduced working day or week, the length of the first application period may depend on factors such as the payroll period. You can ask the KOKO unemployment fund for more detailed instructions on the application periods for benefits and filling out applications.

The first unemployment benefit application must be accompanied by attachments on the basis of which the unemployment fund can confirm that the employment requirement has been met and determine the amount of the payable benefit. Wage information is required for the 26 working weeks during which the employment requirement was accumulated. The fund will generally obtain the information from the income register and request additional information from the applicant if necessary.

Additional instructions for applying for unemployment benefits

more detailed instructions on other attachments that must be submitted with the first unemployment benefit application

Information on the processing times of unemployment benefit applications

Instructions for the KOKO unemployment fund for the unemployed

Instructions for the KOKO unemployment fund for the laid-off

Instructions for the KOKO unemployment fund for those working part-time

Unemployment counseling

Mon-Thu 9-16, Fri 10-16

020 155 8800 (mpm/pvm)

tyottomyysturva@tradenomi.fi