The Finnish parliament has approved an increase in the standard entitlement of earnings-related unemployment allowance as well as a shortening of the commuting requirement of mobility assistance. The amendments are temporary.
The increase in the standard entitlement means that a recipient of earnings-related unemployment allowance can earn EUR 500 by taking on, for example, part-time or short-term work without it having an effect on their daily allowance. Each euro of earned income above EUR 500 decreases the daily allowance by 50 cents. The standard entitlement was previously EUR 300.
The amendment will apply to application periods starting on or after 1 June 2020. If you apply for daily allowance in periods of one calendar month, the EUR 500 standard entitlement will apply for the first time to the daily allowance paid for June. The standard entitlement of EUR 300 will be applied again for application periods starting on or after 1 November.
Mobility assistance for long commutes
You may receive mobility assistance if you are unemployed and accept work further away from your current place of residence. The amount of mobility assistance is EUR 724–1,042 per month, and the assistance is paid for a maximum period of 2 months.
With the amendment, the commuting requirement to and from work is shortened from 3 to 2 hours. The amendment applies to full-time work. For part-time work, the commuting requirement remains 2 hours as before.
The amendment will apply to full-time employment relationships starting between 12 June and 31 October 2020.
Bulletin text: The Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ)