Join the Open Unemployment Fund
Being a member of unemployment fund is worthwhile – only as a member can you receive an earnings-related allowance.
We are a multidisciplinary unemployment insurance expert. We are there for you if you become unemployed or are laid off.
Many jobs, many branches – one Unemployment Fund.
- Only as a member of the unemployment fund can you receive earnings-related daily allowance if you become unemployed or are laid off.
- We also pay mobility allowance and restructuring protection allowance.
- As our member, you also get access to A-kasssa’s employment services.
- A-kassa is an Unemployment Fund which is open to all wage earners.
- Together with the trade unions, A-kassa provides its members with a solid security for the various twists and turns of working life.
- Trade unions provide security for working life, we at A-kassa in case of unemployment.
You can join A-kassa if:
you are in paid employment at the time of joining
you are between 18 and 67 years old
Do you want join the A-kassa?
If you want to join only as a member of the unemployment fund, you can do so by filling out a membership application.
Complete your A-kassa membership by joining the trade union in your field.
Trade unions provide security in working life – at A-kassa, we provide security in case of unemployment.See what benefits and services you get as a member of the fund.
By also joining a trade union, you gain access to a wider range of services.
A-kassa membership
- Earnings-related allowance
- Mobility allowance
- Restructuring protection allowance
- Help with finding a job
- Employment Wizard and webinars
- Support and advice for unemployment
Trade union membership
- Support and advice for unemployment
- Legal services provided by the union
- Training provided by the union
- Union benefits and discounts
- The membership fee of many trade unions also includes membership in A-kassa.
Choose wisely – choose both! Check the services and membership fee with your trade union.
Membership and employment condition
You can receive an earnings-related daily allowance when you have fulfilled the labour market policy conditions, the membership conditions of an unemployment fund, and the employment conditions.
- The membership condition is met when you have been a member of an unemployment fund for at least 12 months.
Why is it worth being part of the A-kassa?
By joining the unemployment fund, you can receive earnings-related allowance based on your own salary level. You can estimate the level of your earnings per diem with the calculator. Depending on your income level, the difference can be significant compared to the basic allowance paid by Kela.
Earnings-related allowance consists of a basic part equal to the basic allowance and an income-related earnings part.
Kela’s basic daily allowance consists of the basic part i.e., it is the same amount for everyone. As a member of the fund, you get better security in case of unemployment.
The unemployment fund also pays e.g., mobility allowance if you accept work far from home.
A-kassa is a general unemployment fund that is open to all wage-earners that are under the age of 68.
You can join A-kassa if:
you are in paid employment at the time of joining
you are between 18 and 67 years old
The membership fee of several trade unions also includes the membership fee of A-kassa, however, check with your own trade union.
As a member of the Unemployment Fund, you get the best financial security in case of unemployment. As a member, you can receive earnings-related allowance, mobility allowance when you get work further away, and job alternation compensation when you take job alternation leave.
Upheavals in the world, both big and small, are reflected in working life in ways that we cannot always predict. That’s why it’s worth making sure that earnings-related unemployment insurance is in order.
Together with the trade unions, we form solid security. Trade unions provide security for working life, we at A-kassa in case of unemployment.
A-kassa is an unemployment fund open to wage earners in all sectors. Any employed employee under the age of 68 can become a member of A-kassa.
The membership fee of several trade unions also includes the membership fee of A-kassa, however, check with your own trade union.
The membership fee of A-kassa is included in the membership fee of several trade unions.
If you are only a member of A-kassa, the membership fee is 8 euros per month or 96 euros per year. The membership fee can be paid at once for the whole year, divided into four parts or paid once a month.
If you transfer from another unemployment fund, the period of membership and employment accumulated at the previous fund will be accredited to you as you transfer to the Open Unemployment Fund. However, you must join within one month of resigning from the previous fund.
Any accumulated conditions are preserved, as long as the gap between fund memberships does not exceed one month and you have not been expelled from your previous unemployment fund, e.g. due to unpaid membership fees.
You can change the unemployment fund when you have a valid employment relationship and receive salary.
When joining, you can authorize us to notify the previous fund of your resignation.
With the membership application, you can indicate the date from which you want your membership to start, i.e. you can send the membership form as early as, e.g., December if you want to change Unemployment Fund from January.
We are an unemployment fund for wage-earners. If you are a full-time entrepreneur and were a member of the entrepreneur fund but are moving to paid work, you can become a member as an employee. The condition is that you become a member no later than one month after you left the entrepreneur fund. Based on your previous membership of the entrepreneur’s fund, you can receive entrepreneur’s daily allowance from us for the period of possible unemployment, if you do not yet meet the condition of being employed as a wage earner.
During part-time entrepreneur or as a family member of an entrepreneur, you can be part of the wage earner’s Fund and accumulate the wage earner’s employment condition in other work that has been done as a wage earner.
A In addition, the A-kassa provides supplementary insurance for seafarers as defined in the Unemployment Security Act for its members residing in Finland who work on a foreign merchant vessel operating in international traffic.
The supplementary insurance is included in the membership fee and no separate fee is charged.
The supplementary insurance covers work as defined in the Seafarers’ Employment Contracts Act on a foreign merchant vessel operating in international traffic (Unemployment Security Act, Chapter 5, Section 12). The purpose of the supplementary insurance is to ensure that seafarers who work on vessels sailing under a flag outside the EU/EEA and who reside in Finland are not left entirely outside the earnings-related unemployment security system.
The supplementary insurance entitles you to earnings-related allowance amounting to 42.05 euros per day. The allowance can be paid for a maximum of 400 days of unemployment. However, the full amount of the allowance together with the supplementary insurance cannot exceed the amount provided in the Unemployment Security Act.
If your employment condition has been accumulated from both work performed in Finland and work on a vessel sailing under a flag outside the EU/EEA, the amount of your earnings-related allowance is determined based on which type of work forms the larger part of the employment condition.
- If work on a vessel sailing under a flag outside the EU/EEA constitutes the larger share, the allowance is 42.05 euros per day.
- If work performed in Finland constitutes the larger share, the allowance is calculated based on earnings received in Finland.
Starting your studies does not mean that you must or should leave the unemployment fund. At best, you may be entitled to earnings-related allowance after your studies if you do not find employment immediately.
You can find information about studying while receiving earnings-related allowance here.
You can remain a member of the unemployment fund until you turn 68. When you retire, there is no longer a need for fund membership. When you retire, please notify the fund.
We wish you enjoyable retirement days!
Read more here about the maximum payment period, additional days, and old-age pension
If you are going abroad for work, please contact us to find out how you can retain your right to unemployment security. We also advise you on matters related to fund membership.
Read more about situations abroad.
It is advisable to keep your membership during family leave. From the perspective of unemployment security, this period is considered an acceptable reason to be absent from the labour market.
If you are handling the affairs of a deceased member as a next of kin – we extend our condolences. Below are instructions to help ensure that matters are concluded as smoothly as possible.
Please proceed as follows:
- Agree with the estate on who will handle matters with the unemployment fund.
- Notify us of the member’s death via a secure form or by phone.
- After the notification, we will terminate the membership in the unemployment fund and check whether there are any pending matters with us.
If you are considering resigning from the fund, please contact our customer service. It is advisable to keep your membership, for example during military service, parental leave and studies.
Check your situation before resigning from the fund!
If you wish to resign from the A-kassa, please submit a written notice, for example via the eService.
Remark, warning and expulsion from the fund – more information is available in the fund’s rules.
You may be expelled from the fund for the following reasons:
- you have provided false or misleading information when applying for membership
- you have fraudulently provided incorrect information or concealed a factor affecting the entitlement to or amount of a benefit paid by the fund
- you refuse to comply with the fund’s rules
- if you have not paid the membership fee within six (6) months, you may be expelled from the fund from the date from which the membership fee remains unpaid
- engaging in business activities within the meaning of the Unemployment Security Act for more than 18 months is considered a permanent departure from the fund’s scope of activity.