Government to speed up processing of unemployment benefit applications

Finnish Government has issued a proposal intended "to make it easier to process unemployment benefit applications and implementation as the number of applications is growing sharply."

According to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the coronavirus epidemic has caused "an exceptionally high number of applications for unemployment benefits to unemployment funds and the Social Insurance Institution (Kela)."

For this reason, the Government proposes that changes be made to facilitate implementation and to speed up the processing of applications.

According to the proposal, unemployment benefit could be paid temporarily based on an application, as an advance payment for a maximum period of six months.

Labour market support

The other amendments would concern certain situations in which unemployment benefits are mediated, special conditions for labour market support and the payment of unemployment benefits in cases where the conditions are not met. 

The Government proposes to lay down an act on temporary derogations from the Unemployment Allowances Act due to the coronavirus epidemic.

The act should enter into force as soon as possible and it would remain in force until 31 August 2020. However, the exemption on the advance payment of unemployment benefits would apply to 31 August 2020.