The amended Unemployment Security Act in the autumn of 2024 changed the conditions for receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance. Previously, earnings-related unemployment allowance could be received after working for six months while being a member of an unemployment fund. Now, the requirement is a minimum of 12 months of employment while being a member of an unemployment fund.
- Employment condition before 1 September 2024: 26 calendar weeks (about six months)
- Employment condition as of 2 September 2024: 12 calendar months (1 year)
You may still have accrued time toward your employment condition under both the old and new rules. This is possible if you have been on a longer period of family leave between periods of employment, for example.
As of 2 September 2024, the employment condition is accrued as a combination of the old and new conditions
In order for the employment condition to be calculated entirely based on the requirements of the new law, the employment condition must be accrued fully during the period after the new requirements enter into force. Weeks of employment condition you have accrued before 2 September 2024 are converted into months of employment condition under the new law using a conversion factor. The conversion factor is as follows: 3 to 4 calendar weeks that meet the employment condition are the equivalent of one full month, and 1 to 2 calendar weeks that meet the employment condition are the equivalent of one half of a month.
We calculate the accrual of your employment condition as follows:
The calendar weeks accrued towards your old employment condition are converted into months that accrue the new employment condition by dividing the accrued weeks by 4. If the division is not even, 1 to 2 remaining weeks is the equivalent of half of a month, and 3 weeks the equivalent of one full month towards the employment condition.
See here for an example of how a combined old and new employment condition are calculated
Employment condition until 1 September 2024
You are still covered by the old employment condition if your final work week that counts towards earnings-related unemployment allowance ended on or before 1 September 2024.
In this case, you may receive earnings-related unemployment allowance if you have worked for 26 calendar weeks (about six months) while a member of an unemployment fund, and
- you have worked at least 18 hours in a calendar week (Monday to Sunday) (with the exception of teachers and periodical work)
- you have worked in an employment relationship
- taxes and unemployment and social security contributions have been paid for the work
- the pay for your full-time work is in accordance with the sector’s collective agreement or, if there is no collective agreement in your sector, at least €1,399/month in 2024