7 day waiting period and mandatory waiting period

When you became unemployed or laid-off for the first time, the payment of unemployment allowance starts only after a waiting period of 7 unemployed working days. A calender week is considered to have 5 working days, so the 7-day waiting period lasts more than a week. The waiting period does not have to be continuous. The days of unemployment for a maximum of 8 consecutive calendar weeks can be included in the waiting period.

For those who work part-time or gig job, the waiting period is calculated by deducting the working hours during the calendar week from the maximum working hours according to the collective agreement. When these hours amount to 7 working days, the waiting period has been completed.

KEHA Center can impose a mandatory waiting period for which no unemployment allowance is paid. KEHA Center examines on a case-by-case basis if a person can be considered to have had a valid reason for resigning or refusing to work. If the KEHA Center imposes a mandatory waiting period, the normal 7-day waiting period is still taken after the mandatory waiting period.

Read more about mandatory waiting periods from JobMarket Finland.

Regardless of a mandatory waiting period unemployment allowance can be paid, if you participate in a employment promoting service during the waiting period.

Read more about employment promoting services from TE Offices website.

In some situations, your employer may enter into an agreement with you to terminate your employment and agree to pay you a separate compensation. If the payment of the compensation is not based on a collective agreement or any law, you are not entitled to unemployment allowance for the period of time for which the compensation received corresponds to as salary. The period for which unemployment allowance is not paid is calculated by dividing the compensation you received by the salary on which your daily allowance is based on. Read more about the salary on which your daily allowance is based on.

Holiday pay or salary for notice period are not separate compensation as they are based on law. Separate compensation is extra money that your employer is willing to pay to you. Compensations can be paid under several names, e.g. support package, lump sum payment, severance pay, golden handshake.