You can receive earnings-related unemployment allowance even if you are caring for a family member or someone close to you. To receive earnings-related unemployment allowance, you must be looking for full-time work and be able to accept it. The employment authority will assess whether your caregiving responsibilities prevent you from accepting work.
What is family caregiving?
A family caregiver looks after a family member or someone close to them who needs special care and support due to illness, disability, old age or another reason. The person receiving care may be, for example, an elderly family member, a person with a disability or a child who needs special support.
The wellbeing services county makes decisions on support for family caregiving and the services included in it. A family caregiving agreement is drawn up, and a care and service plan is prepared for the person receiving care in cooperation with the wellbeing services county.
When can a family caregiver receive earnings-related unemployment allowance?
To receive earnings-related unemployment allowance, you must be looking for full-time work and be prepared to accept it. The employment authority will assess whether your caregiving responsibilities prevent you from accepting work.
If caregiving requires round-the-clock or full-time care, accepting full-time work is generally not considered possible. However, the assessment also takes into account how care for your family member or loved one can be arranged while you are working, for example through respite care.
The employment authority may ask you to explain how care for your family member or loved one would be arranged if you started working full-time. It is advisable to include details of the amount of care required and any respite care arrangements in the care and service plan attached to the family caregiving agreement.
Does family caregiver support affect the amount of earnings-related unemployment allowance?
If the employment authority determines that your caregiving responsibilities do not prevent you from receiving unemployment benefits and you meet the other conditions for earnings-related unemployment allowance, the allowance can be paid. Family caregiver support does not affect the amount of the allowance.
Receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance also does not prevent you from receiving the full caregiver’s fee.
What if you start providing family care while unemployed?
If you start providing family care after becoming unemployed, you may be entitled to unemployment benefits for the first four months without the employment authority assessing how much time your caregiving responsibilities require.
After four months, the employment authority will assess whether your caregiving responsibilities are so demanding that they prevent you from accepting full-time work.
What to do if you become unemployed or are temporarily laid off
If you become unemployed or are temporarily laid off, register as an unemployed jobseeker immediately through Job Market Finland’s E-services. Earnings-related unemployment allowance can only be paid for periods when your jobseeker registration is valid.
Inform the employment authority that you are a family caregiver. The employment authority will determine whether your caregiving responsibilities affect your right to unemployment benefits.
Once the employment authority has determined how your caregiving responsibilities affect your eligibility for unemployment benefits, A-kassa will assess whether you meet the other conditions for earnings-related unemployment allowance and pay the allowance if all the conditions are met.