This year, unemployment security has seen several amendments which affect both the amount and the calculation method of unemployment security. Although the process for applying for unemployment security mostly remains the same, some changes are on the way.
How is the monetary valuation reflected in filling out application forms?
In force since the beginning of September, the monetary valuation for employment condition may require the fund to request payslips from applicants. Even though salary information is mainly obtained directly from the incomes register maintained by the Finnish Tax Administration, requests for additional information may increase due to the way employers report salaries.
There are two ways to report salary information in the incomes register: with brief reports which do not include any detailed information, or with extensive reports which break down the salary in more detail by component. Employers may also voluntarily provide supplemental information, such as absences and earning periods.
In other words, the fund might request that you submit your salary and employment information if the information in the incomes register is not sufficient to process your daily allowance application. If you receive salary during the application period and your employer has only submitted a brief salary report to the incomes register, the fund may need you to append your payslip into your application.
Previously, we requested additional working time information to supplement first-time applications and application period breaks. Moving forward, the supplemental information is no longer needed for salaries paid after October 1, 2024. Nevertheless, applications must still include day-specific working hour reports which are needed e.g. for calculating the qualifying period. In certain situations, the fund may request more detailed information about working periods if the salary has been paid for more than a month.
How is the prolonged employment condition reflected in filling out application forms?
The employment condition is extended to 12 months starting from the beginning of September. In filling out the application, this is reflected in first-time applications where the incomes register retrieval period is extended to 14 months. This operation is fully automatic and does not require any action from the applicant.
How is the staggering reflected in filling out application forms?
In the beginning of September, staggering enters into force. This means that earnings-related allowance payouts decrease as unemployment continues. The staggering applies to all recipients of earnings-related allowance, including those who are on an extension, working part-time or receiving entrepreneur’s daily allowance.
A-kassa’s eService updates include calculators which indicate your current level and the point when you will be entering the next level. You can also check whether staggering applies to you at all (”Your earnings-related allowance is not staggered. The staggering will apply if you fulfil the 12-month employment condition and your daily allowance is recalculated.”).
