What if You fall ill while unemployed?

Unemployment benefits are intended for people who are capable to work and to accept work, meaning you cannot receive unemployment allowance during sickness. If you fall ill while unemployed, you should apply for sickness allowance from Kela. Please indicate on your unemployment allowance application form if you have applied for sickness allowance from Kela or any sickness-related compensation from an insurance company.

The Entrepreneur Fund pays unemployment allowance during the waiting period of your sickness allowance. Send an allowance application for the waiting period to the Entrepreneur Fund. The fund will receive information on your sickness allowance directly from Kela. If you start to receive sickness- or accident-related compensation from an insurance company, send a copy of their decision on the compensation to the fund.

If your sickness leave during unemployment is prolonged in such a way that you reach the maximum period of 300 sickness allowance days, you can apply for unemployment allowance from the fund, even if you are not capable to work. To receive unemployment allowance in this situation it is required that you have either applied for invalidity pension or that your application for invalidity pension has been rejected.