A-kassa Open Unemployment Fund continues to grow thanks to a merger at the start of the year. The merger brought more than 17,000 members from the Finnish Food Workers’ Unemployment Fund into A-kassa. A-kassa now has more than 245,000 members and retains its position as Finland’s third-largest unemployment fund.
A-Kassa is a multi-sectoral unemployment fund open to all wage and salary earners. The merger of the Finnish Food Workers’ Unemployment Fund adds another sector to A-kassa’s repertoire and brings additional expertise and competence. Larger funds can be better prepared to face seasonal fluctuations in employment rates, fulfil their obligations as funds, and take on any new duties assigned to unemployment funds. This enables the fund to offer its members high-quality unemployment fund services as flexibly and cost-effectively as possible.
A-kassa now works with 11 trade unions following the start of a new partnership with the Finnish Food Workers’ Union (SEL) at the beginning of the year. The other unions that the fund works with are the Industrial Union, the Finnish Construction Trade Union, the Finnish Transport Workers’ Union (AKT), the Finnish Post and Logistics Union (PAU), the Finnish Seafarers’ Union (FSU), the Trade Union for Theatre and Media Finland (Teme), the Union of Journalists in Finland, the Finnish Actors’ Union, the Finnish Musicians’ Union, and Ay-toimihenkilöt (the union for clerical employees of trade unions).
Changes to unemployment security taking effect on 1 January 2024
Extension of the waiting period to seven days
The waiting period is the time before unemployment benefits can be paid. The waiting period was previously five working days, rising to seven days at the start of 2024. Transitional provision: Applicable, if the waiting period starts on 1 January 2024 or later.
Periodisation of holiday compensation
The periodisation of holiday compensation affects when the payment of an earnings-related unemployment allowance can begin after the end of employment. Annual holidays not taken before the end of the employment relationship will postpone the start of the earnings-related unemployment allowance by as many days as the holiday compensation corresponds to. Transitional provision: Applies to annual holiday compensation based on an employment relationship ending on or after 1 January 2024.
Freezing of index-linked increases
Freezing of index-linked increases means that benefits will not rise in line with consumer prices, with some exceptions.
Additional information:
Anne Liikanen, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer
anne.liikanen@a-kassa.fi
+358 50 595 6707
