Have you fallen ill while unemployed? Apply for sickness allowance

If you fall ill for more than 10 working days while you are unemployed, you can apply for sickness allowance instead of unemployment benefit. It is worth applying for sickness allowance because that way, you will not lose your unemployment benefit if you are offered work that you cannot accept while you are ill.

1. You can get sickness allowance even while you are unemployed. If you fall ill for more than 10 working days while you are unemployed, you may be entitled to sickness allowance to ensure that you have an income. In order to qualify for sickness allowance, you need a medical certificate on your inability to work, issued by a healthcare provider.

Once you have received your medical certificate, you must notify TE Services of how long you will be unable to work according to the medical certificate.

Do as follows if you fall ill while unemployed.

2. Ask for a medical certificate on incapacity for work and apply for sickness allowance so that you do not lose your unemployment benefit. As an unemployed jobseeker, you must be available to the labour market. You may lose your unemployment benefit if you are unable to apply for or accept work assigned by the TE Services because you are ill. That is why you should apply for sickness allowance for the time when you are not able to work.

3. There will not be any breaks in your income if you apply for sickness allowance while you are receiving an unemployment benefit from Kela. During the time you are not able to work, you will receive sickness allowance instead of unemployment benefit. This ensures that there are no breaks in your income.

You can begin to receive sickness allowance after a waiting period of 10 working days. You can receive unemployment benefit during the waiting period. You cannot, however, get sickness allowance and unemployment benefit for the same period.

Renew your status as an unemployed jobseeker while you are still receiving unemployment benefit and waiting for a decision on the sickness allowance. To receive unemployment benefit, a jobseeker must keep their status as an unemployed jobseeker up to date, and apply for work and be prepared to accept a full-time job that corresponds to their work ability.

4. The time you receive sickness allowance does not count against the maximum duration of your basic unemployment allowance. Basic unemployment allowance is payable for a maximum of 300 or 400 working days. If you receive basic unemployment allowance and become ill for long enough to receive sickness allowance instead, your time on sickness allowance does not use up your maximum days on basic unemployment allowance.

5. When your sick leave ends, notify TE Services. Also file an unemployment status report with Kela, so that the payment of your unemployment benefit can continue after your sick leave. If you have received sickness allowance for more than 30 days, you must submit a new application for the unemployment benefit. Remember to also notify TE Services if you are participating in rehabilitation provided by Kela.