Unemployment Benefits - Finland

Finland

Two systems run in parallel. The minimum level of support is provided by Kela, an agency of the national government. It pays non-means tested unemployment benefits for maximum number of days, but can also extend this through labour market subsidies. KELA also pays a means-tested minimum income support to people who are maxed out on their unemployment benefit. Many Finns take advantage of the opportunity to join private unemployment funds which offer an insured service to pay benefits related to former earnings in the event of unemployment. Regardless of whether benefits are paid by KELA or from an unemployment fund, the unemployed person receives assistance from the Työ- ja elinkeinokeskus (TE-Keskus, or The Work and Livelihood Centre), a government agency which helps people to find jobs and employers to find workers. In addition to matching employers to potential employees, the agency plays a nationally strategic role training the unemployed to meet present and forecast skills gaps in the economy.