Unemployment fund

Sometimes, working life offers unpleasant surprises, and you may find yourself permanently or temporarily laid off. Through the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland, you can be a member of an unemployment fund and secure your livelihood during situations of change, as you are entitled to earnings-related allowance if the employment condition is fulfilled.

Effect of salary on unemployment benefit

As an unemployed jobseeker, you can receive earnings-related daily allowance, basic daily allowance or labor market support. Kela’s basic daily allowance is EUR 37.21 per day (from January 1, 2024), and it is paid for five days per week. The unemployment fund’s earnings-related unemployment allowance is always higher than the basic unemployment allowance. The indicative estimate can be calculated using the KOKO fund calculator.

Changes to the Unemployment Security Act in 2024

With Finland’s new Government Program, several amendments to the Unemployment Security Act are being prepared, which are scheduled to enter into force in 2024. This will also affect the accumulation of the employment condition.

Unemployment fund for highly educated KOKO

A majority of the members of the Union of Professional Engineers in Finland are already members of the KOKO unemployment fund or may join it through the Union. You can check whether you are a member of the KOKO unemployment fund through the Union by logging in to the Member pages and checking the information about your current memberships.

KOKO fund and becoming a member

KOKO fund membership fee

The membership fee of the unemployment fund for highly educated KOKO is EUR 63 per year in 2024.

The unemployment fund membership fee is charged to engineer members in connection with the Union’s membership fee if the membership is active through Union. For student members, the membership fee of the fund is invoiced as an annual fee.

The unemployment fund’s fees , like all trade union membership fees, are tax-deductible in Finland. The Union of Professional Engineers in Finland reports membership fee information directly to the Tax Administration.

Entitlement to daily allowance

You must fulfill the condition regarding previous employment in order to be entitled to earnings-related allowance from an unemployment fund during fund membership. As a result of the legislative amendment, the membership condition and employment condition in accordance with the old and new legislation will be in use from September 2, 2024.

Read more on the KOKO fund’s website

Are you unemployed?

You can also reach the Union’s employment counseling through the Customer Service. If you are unemployed or face the risk of being laid off, we recommend you take advantage of the Union’s diverse career services and training.

Entrepreneur Fund

As members of the Entrepreneur Fund, entrepreneurs can secure their livelihood against unemployment. Read more about the Entrepreneur Fund website.