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Political strikes and the earnings-related allowance
Some trade unions have announced work stoppages in protest against the government plans.
The unemployment funds will not pay a strike pay during the political work stoppages. The stoppages are also not a valid basis for an earnings-related allowance. If you have any questions about strike pay, please contact your trade union.
The work stoppages will not affect the entitlement to earnings-related allowance of persons who are completely unemployed or laid off.
Work stoppages in part-time work
If an unpaid work stoppage lasts for the entire working day, it is considered an unpaid absence in unemployment security, and you are not entitled to an earnings-related allowance for that absence. For that reason, we cannot pay you earnings-related allowance for the work stoppage days that happen on your working days if you work part-time or apply for an adjusted allowance.
Please remember to report the work stoppage days in your earnings-related allowance application.
Example
You work part-time and apply for adjusted allowance from the fund for the period of 1–30 November 2023. You participate in a work stoppage that last the entirety of your work day on 7 November 2023. When you fill out the daily reports of the application, write down “työnseisaus” (work stoppage) for this day.
We cannot pay you an earnings-related allowance for the work stoppage of 7 November 2023. We will process your earnings-related allowance application normally for the periods of 1–6 November 2023 and 8–30 November 2023.
Was your pay interrupted by a strike in another sector?
You may be entitled to earnings-related allowance if your work is interrupted by a strike in another sector. If this happens to you, register as a job seeker with the TE Office. We can only pay earnings-related allowance for the days when you are registered as a job seeker.
Please note that your employer is obligated to pay you wages for seven days if your work is prevented due to a strike in another sector and the strike does not seek to influence your working conditions or terms of employment. If the strike continues and your work is prevented for longer than seven days, you may be entitled to earnings-related allowance paid by the unemployment fund without a waiting period.
Impact of a work stoppage on job alternation leave
Please note that unpaid work stoppage days may affect your ability to take job alternation leave.
To take a job alternation leave, your employment relationship with the same employer must have lasted continuously for at least 13 months before the start of the job alternation leave. This 13-month period may include a maximum of 30 days of unpaid absences.
The work stoppage will not affect your job alternation allowance if you are already on alternation leave.
