It pays to be a fund member from a young age
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- Income security
- Studies
Students and young people have a lot to gain from membership of the unemployment fund. It’s worth thinking about joining as soon as you start your first summer or part-time job.
As a member of the YTK Unemployment Fund, you can get earnings-related daily allowance if you become unemployed or are laid off. In practice, you will receive more money if you are unemployed or laid off than if you are not a member of the unemployment fund.
Anyone aged 18 or over who is a member of an unemployment fund and meets the conditions for receiving a daily allowance, such as the working condition, is entitled to a daily allowance.
The amount of daily allowance paid by the fund depends on the salary you received before you became unemployed or laid off. On average, it is more than twice as much as the basic daily allowance or labour market subsidy paid by Kela.
You cannot join the unemployment fund when you are unemployed. It is therefore important to anticipate and join when you are in paid employment.
Accumulate your working condition already during a summerjob or part-time work
All paid work – including summer jobs and part-time work – accumulate the working condition that is a requirement for receiving the earnings-related daily allowance. During a subberjob or part-time work, you accumulate on the working condition on same conditions as during other paid work.
You meet the working condition when you have accumulated at least 12 months of working condition moths in the 28 months before you became unemployed. You can accumulate 12 months in chunks, for example by working during the summer or part-time. This means you do not have to accumulate the 12 months of the working condition in one period or during one single employment relationship.
Each calendar month during which you have been paid at least €930 will add one month to your working condition. You will also accumulate one month of the working condition for two separate calendar months in which you have been paid at least €465 each.
In addition, your salary must be in line with the collective agreement in the sector. You should therefore check that your employment contract specifies which collective agreement applies to your employment relationship.
Remember:
- Join the YTK Unemployment Fund on your first day of work.
- Your working condition will accumulate one month for each calendar month during which you have been paid at least €930.
- You will also accumulate one month of your working conditiond for two separate calendar months in which you have been paid at least €465 salary each.
- To qualify for the working condition, you must have accumulated at least 12 working condition months in the 28 months before you became unemployed. You do not have to meet the condition continuously. This is why summer and part-time work is so useful for you. The most important thing to remember is to keep your membership of the unemployment fund, even if you are studying full-time.
By studying, you can extend your reference period considerably
Normally, the working condition must be met within a 28-month reference period, but full-time studies extend the reference period by up to seven years. Periods of study do not count towards the 28-month reference period. Periods of military and civilian service also extend the reference period for the working condition.
Can a student get unemployment benefits?
You cannot receive unemployment benefit and study allowance at the same time. The primary form of support for full-time studies is student financial aid and unemployment benefit is usually only available after the end of the full-time studies.
In such situations, for example, you may be entitled to a earnings-related daily allowance, as long as you have accumulated the months required for the working condition:
- You do not continue your studies after secondary education, but enter the labour market but later become unemployed or are laid off.
- You do summer work during your years of study, but you do not find a job immediately after graduation.
- You work summer jobs and part-time jobs before your military service, but you cannot find a job after your military service.
Join YTK Worklife and benefit the most
You can complement your YTK fund membership by also becoming a member of the YTK Worklife. For an additional annual fee of only 24 €, you get, among other things:
- legal advice on employment matters
- job search coaching
- accident insurance for leisure time
- an online training library with thousands of training courses
- a wide range of wellness and sports benefits
YTK for Students – Always more prepared for the work life!
If you’re not yet working, you should check out the student membership of YTK Worklife. For just €12 a year, you get a host of great benefits and services! You can become a student member as soon as you start your studies, but remember that student membership does not include membership of the unemployment fund. When you start summer or part-time work, you should also join the unemployment fund. Check out the YTK Worklife student membership!
Last updated 3.9.2024