There are periods during which earnings-related allowance is not paid, such as the waiting period and a suspension period (“karenssi”). These terms are often confused, although they refer to completely different things. Here is a brief overview of their differences and how they affect the payment of the allowance.
Waiting period – when does the payment of the allowance begin?
The waiting period refers to the time that must pass before the payment of the allowance can begin. The waiting period corresponds to seven full working days and must be accrued within eight consecutive calendar weeks. During this time, your job search must be active with the employment official..
- Only weekdays, Monday to Friday, are counted toward the waiting period. A maximum of five days can be counted per calendar week.
- Days for which you would not be entitled to the allowance are not included in the waiting period.
- If you work part-time or occasionally during the application period, the waiting period accrues as a corresponding number of hours.
A new waiting period is always imposed when the employment condition of 12 calendar months is met. At that point, the maximum payment period (300–500 days) starts over, and the amount of the allowance is recalculated. Meeting the employment condition is individual, so it happens at different times for different applicants.
Example:
If you have previously received earnings-related allowance for 50 days and then returned to work, when applying for the allowance again, it will be checked whether the 12-month employment condition has been met:
- If it has not, no new waiting period is imposed, and payment continues from day 51.
- If it has, a new waiting period will apply, the maximum payment period starts over, and the allowance amount is recalculated.
Exceptions to the waiting period
During participation in services promoting employment, the waiting period accrues at the same time as the allowance is paid.
A weekday public holiday can count toward the waiting period if you have registered as unemployed before the holiday and your employer has no obligation to pay wages for that day. For a fully unemployed person, a weekday public holiday accrues waiting period days as normal.
Suspension period (“Karenssi”)
Suspension period is a period determined by employment official during which no earnings-related allowance is paid. A suspension period may be imposed, for example, if the applicant:
- resigns from their job without a valid reason,
- causes the termination of their employment,
- or acts in a way that is considered objectionable in terms of labour market policy.
The employment official issues a binding statement on the suspension period to the unemployment fund. The waiting period is not counted during a suspension period. A new waiting period is imposed only after the suspension period has ended, if payment of the allowance has not started before the suspension period and a waiting period has therefore not yet been set.
An exception to this rule is employment-promoting services agreed with the employment official, for which the daily allowance is paid concurrently with the suspension period.
The length of the suspension period depends on the situation:
- Resignation without a valid reason: 45 days
- Resignation from a short job (max. 5 days): 30 days
- Other labour policy violations: 7, 14, or 45 days, or a 12-calendar-week employment obligation.
All calendar days from Monday to Sunday are counted during a suspension period.
The government is preparing to tighten suspension periods in the unemployment benefit system. The proposed changes are currently under consultation, and the aim is for the Parliament to consider them in autumn 2025. If approved, the changes could take effect at the beginning of 2026.
