Duration of allowance payments

You can receive an unemployment allowance for a maximum of 300, 400 or 500 days for no more than 5 days a week.

Your maximum period is reset when you re-fulfil the employment condition.

The maximum period will not be reset during self-motivated studies or labour market training. In this case, your maximum period will only be reset when your studies or training are over. The maximum period is not reset while you are on additional allowance days.

When you are paid adjusted earnings-related allowance, the days are accrued in proportion to the maximum period counter. When you are paid adjusted allowance, the amount of the allowance paid affects how many days in that month count towards the maximum payment period.

Due to the staggering of the daily allowance, the reduced daily allowance uses up the payable daily allowance period (maximum period of 300, 400 or 500 days) as normal, in other words it does not slow down the use of the maximum period and thus does not prolong the daily allowance period.

Instructions on when the maximum period has been paid

1. Check if you are entitled to additional allowance days.

2. Send the decision on terminating payment of earnings-related allowance to both Kela and the TE Office

You will receive a decision on having reached the maximum period in the status section in eService and by post to your home address.

3. Keep your job search valid with the TE Office

Send the decision you received from  the KOKO unemployment fund to the TE Office, which will forward their statement to Kela. Keep your job search active throughout this period, so that your entitlement to benefits can continue uninterrupted.

4. Apply for a labour market subsidy from Kela

The benefit paid after the end of the earnings-related allowance is the labour market subsidy, which you should apply for from Kela. The amount of the labour market subsidy is the same as that of the basic allowance, i.e. €37.21 per day in 2023. Somewhat different rules apply to the labour market subsidy compared to the earnings-related allowance. Read more about applying for labour market subsidy and its payment from Kela’s website.

5. How can I restore my entitlement to earnings-related allowance?

Your maximum period is reset and you can again receive earnings-related allowance, when you re-fulfil the employment condition. The calendar months that count towards fulfilment of the employment condition are stated in the suspension decision sent to you. 

6. Is there any benefit in remaining a member of KOKO?

You should not end your unemployment fund membership if you believe that you will re-fulfil the employment condition or you have already accrued employment months. You must fulfil the employment condition while being a member of the fund, and every month that you work during membership is counted towards re-fulfilling the employment condition, provided that the conditions regarding pay are met.

Additional allowance days

Earnings-related unemployment allowance may be paid after the maximum payment period up to the age of 65 (i.e. until the end of the calendar month during which you turn 65) on so-called additional days if:

• you were born between 1957 and 1960 and will reach the age of 61 before your maximum period is reached
• you were born between 1961 and 1962 and will reach the age of 62 before your maximum period is reached
• you were born between in 1963 and will reach the age of 63 before your maximum period is reached
• you were born between in 1964 and will reach the age of 64 before your maximum period is reached.

In addition, you must have worked for at least 5 years during the last 20 years and must be entitled to earnings-related unemployment allowance from having been an employee.

You do not need to apply for the additional days separately. Just send your allowance application to the fund as usual, and the person handling the application will determine whether you are entitled to additional days.

The maximum period is not reset while you are on additional allowance days. The amount of the daily allowance is also not recalculated when you are on additional days.

As a note, the staggering of the daily allowance also affects those on additional allowance days, in other words the amount of the daily allowance decreases the longer the daily allowance is paid. More information: Staggering of earnings-related allowance 

Transition security scheme for people aged 55 and over

Individuals born in 1965 and later are not entitled to additional days after the expiry of the maximum period of earnings-related unemployment allowance. Those covered by change security are entitled to a transition security allowance, training and extended re-employment leave. Learn more about transition security.

Entrepreneur’s post-protection

If you receive entrepreneur’s post-protection daily allowance from a wage-earner’s fund, however, you are not entitled to wage-earner’s additional allowance days. Read more about post-protection and entrepreneurship.

See also: Retiring while receiving earnings-related allowance