Section 2
Conditions of membership
Salaried employees who are covered by the Unemployment Security Act, who have not reached the age of 68, and who have completed higher education or similar specialisation studies, are studying to receive such education, or work in the capacity of an employee, senior employee, supervisor or specialist, are eligible for membership of the fund.
A salaried employee is a wage earner whose livelihood is considered to rely on paid income for work done for someone else.
A member of the fund cannot be a member of another unemployment fund at the same time.
In order to become a member of the fund, a written application must be submitted to the fund. Membership applications are accepted by the fund manager or by a fund employee authorised by the fund manager.
Membership of the fund starts at the earliest from the day on which the application has been received.
An unemployed person can become a member of the fund within one month of the fund of which he or she is a member being dissolved or placed in liquidation or bankruptcy. In addition, an unemployed person can become a member of the fund as prescribed in regulations of the European Parliament and of the Council, the Nordic Convention on Social Security and valid national legislation.
Section 3
Resigning from the fund
If a member wishes to resign from the fund, the member should notify the fund in writing. The resignation comes into effect earliest from the day on which the notice has been received or from a later date notified in the notice.
If a member has paid less membership fees than what has become due by the due date, the member may be expelled without notice due to unpaid membership fees.
Membership of the unemployment fund terminates automatically by the end of the calendar month in which the member reaches the age of 68.
Section 4
Expulsion from the fund
Having consulted the member concerned, the fund manager shall bring it to the member’s attention, or issue a warning or expel him/her from the fund if:
- the member has provided false or misleading information when applying to join,
- the member has lied about or concealed something that affects receipt of a benefit for which the fund is responsible, or its amount
or - the member refuses to comply with the fund’s rules.
If a member fails to pay his/her membership fees as ordered by the Board for a calendar year, the fund manager may expel him/her from the fund, the expulsion taking effect from the beginning of the calendar year from which the fees are outstanding.
A member who has become an entrepreneur may retain membership of the unemployment fund for up to 18 months from the start of the business, after which the fund manager may expel the member from the fund.
A fund manager may expel a member who no longer meets the conditions in accordance with section 2 for membership.
If a member is dissatisfied with the fund manager’s decision made pursuant to subsection 1 of this section or with otherwise being expelled from the fund, he/she may bring the matter before the Board.
Section 5
Rejoining
If a member who has resigned from the fund rejoins the unemployment fund within one month, his/her time in employment and his/her previous time as a member of the fund are credited as provided in the Unemployment Funds Act and the Act on Unemployment Security.
If a member who has been expelled from the fund is accepted once again as a member, his/her previous time in employment which has accumulated or his/her previous time as a member in the fund is not credited, nor the membership fees he/she paid previously.
Section 6
Membership fees
The membership fee is confirmed by the Financial Supervisory Authority and paid yearly.
The fee must be paid in the manner and on the date specified by the Board. The fund is entitled to charge any unpaid membership fee for a benefit paid by the fund.
A member who has resigned or been expelled has no right to any reimbursement of fees paid to the fund that fall upon the membership time preceding resignation or expulsion.
If a person joins the fund, resigns, or is expelled from the fund in the middle of a calendar year, the membership fee is equivalent with the amount of calendar months as a member of the yearly fee. Return of the membership fee that falls upon time when the membership has not been valid, will be done upon a written request by the person. The request must be done to the fund within 3 months of resignation or lawful expulsion decision. The fund’s Board may determine the minimum amount of fees to be reimbursed. No interest on arrears will be paid on reimbursed membership fees.
Section 7
Waiver of membership fees
A member cannot be exempt from membership fees.