Many teachers, school assistants and other school employees see their employment contracts end when pupils begin their summer holiday. Work may continue again in the autumn, but the summer break often means a period of unemployment in practice. There are some specific features of unemployment security in the education sector that are worth understanding well in advance.
In the education and early childhood education sectors, fixed-term employment is often tied to the academic year, running from autumn to spring. As a result, teachers, school assistants and early childhood education employees working in fixed-term positions may find themselves without pay during the summer and without certainty about whether work will continue in the autumn. In such situations, earnings-related unemployment allowance may become necessary during the unemployment period in the summer.
The reason for a fixed-term contract may be, for example, another teacher’s leave of absence, study leave or family leave. When there is a valid legal basis for a fixed-term contract, the employer generally has considerable discretion in determining its duration. The employer is also not usually obliged to offer a new position once a legally justified fixed-term employment relationship ends.
Receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance requires sufficient employment history
From the perspective of unemployment security, the key issue is not a person’s profession but whether the conditions for receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance are met.
To qualify for earnings-related unemployment allowance, both the membership requirement and the employment condition must be fulfilled. The employment condition can only be accrued through work performed in an employment relationship for which the employer pays the statutory unemployment insurance contributions.
In the education sector, meeting the employment condition may be affected by factors such as short fixed-term contracts or part-time work. Summer breaks can also create uncertainty about whether these shorter periods of employment are sufficient to meet the employment condition required for earnings-related unemployment allowance.
However, the employment condition does not require continuous employment with the same employer. Periods of work consisting of several different substitute assignments can normally accumulate towards the employment condition, provided that the work and wages otherwise meet the required criteria.
A summer break does not automatically entitle you to unemployment allowance
Even if a fixed-term employment contract ends in the spring, entitlement to unemployment benefits does not automatically arise for the summer period. Factors such as whether the employment relationship effectively continues over the summer or whether the employee has certainty that work will continue in the autumn are important in the assessment.
For example, when fixed-term contracts follow one another without interruption, it may be assessed whether they effectively constitute continuous employment. For teachers, the so-called calculated annual leave may also affect the period for which unemployment allowance can be paid.
For school assistants and other employees working in school support services, situations vary considerably depending on job duties, the duration of the employment relationship, working hours and whether employment continues after the summer.
Circumstances in the education sector are highly individual. Therefore, it is advisable to clarify your own situation well in advance with both the employment authority and your unemployment fund.
Remember to register as a jobseeker in time
Earnings-related unemployment allowance can only be paid if the applicant has registered as an unemployed jobseeker through Job Market Finland.
You should register no later than your first day of unemployment. Registration can also be completed before unemployment or a temporary lay-off begins. Jobseeker status cannot be activated retroactively.
Your job search must remain active throughout the summer, even if you already know that you will return to work in the autumn.
Fixed-term employment is common in other sectors as well
The education sector is not the only field where employment consists of fixed-term contracts and periods of varying length. For example, fragmented employment is also common in the culture, events and sports sectors, where it often affects unemployment security.
A-kassa reminds employees that unemployment security rules can seem complex, particularly when a career consists of several different employment relationships. Clarifying your situation in advance makes it easier to plan your finances and reduces uncertainty.
At least remember these points
- Join an unemployment fund in good time.
- Check that you meet the employment condition.
- Register as an unemployed jobseeker on your first day of unemployment.
- Apply for earnings-related unemployment allowance without delay.
- Keep your employment contracts and pay records in case additional information is needed.
- If you accept a job far from home, check whether you may be entitled to mobility allowance.