The UK has entered into a partnership agreement with the EU, which will remain in force for the next 15 years. With this partnership agreement, work carried out in the UK may be acknowledged when claiming for earnings-related unemployment allowance benefit in Finland.
The right to earnings-related allowance can be obtained on the basis of work in another EU country if you join an unemployment fund within one month of moving. In addition, the employee must have worked for at least four weeks in Finland to be entitled to the allowance. When moving from another EU Member State to Finland, joining an unemployment fund is exceptionally permitted while unemployed within one month of moving to Finland.
With the partnership agreement between the UK and the EU, the right to earnings-related unemployment allowance can also be obtained on the basis of work carried out in the UK if you join the unemployment fund within one month of moving and having worked in Finland for four weeks. Likewise, when moving to Finland from the UK, you may join the unemployment fund while unemployed within one month of moving.
Job seeking while receiving unemployment allowance no longer possible
You may relocate to another EU country to seek employment for a period of three months while receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance.
The partnership agreement with the UK does not provide for this type of job-seeking trips. This means that the possibility of seeking employment in the UK while receiving earnings-related unemployment will, as a rule, end on 1 January 2021.
However, those who have moved between the UK and the EU prior to 31 December 2020 will retain their right to seek employment in the UK while receiving earnings-related unemployment allowance. This is rights has been laid down in the withdrawal agreement, which preceded the partnership agreement. If you or your family member have previously worked or sought employment in the UK and are interested in a travelling to the UK again to seek employment, ask your local TE Office for more information.
Bulletin text is a translation of this article: Britanniassa tehty työ voidaan lukea hyväksi työttömyysturvassa myös jatkossa, The Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland (TYJ), 12.1.2021