When you became unemployed or laid-off for the first time, the payment of unemployment allowance starts only after a waiting period of 5 unemployed days. The waiting period does not have to be continuous. The days of unemployment for a maximum of 8 consecutive calendar weeks can be included.

For those who work part-time or gig job, the waiting period is calculated by deducting the working hours during the calendar week from the maximum working hours according to the collective agreement. When these hours amount to 5 working days, the waiting period has been completed.

A new waiting period is taken no more than once a year if you fulfil the work requirement again. Read more about the work requirement. 

TE office can impose a mandatory waiting period for which no unemployment allowance is paid. TE office examines on a case-by-case basis if a person can be considered to have had a valid reason for resigning or refusing to work. If the TE office imposes a mandatory waiting period, the normal 5-day waiting period is still taken after the mandatory waiting period.

Regardless of a mandatory waiting period unemployment allowance can be paid, if you participate in a employment promoting service during the waiting period.

Read more about employment promoting services from TE Offices website.

Read more about mandatory waiting periods from TE Offices website.

Mandatory waiting period of 90 days (about 3 months) can be imposed if you

• resign without a valid reason from employment that would have lasted more than 5 days
• refuse without a valid reason work for which you have been chosen 

Mandatory waiting period of 60 days (about 2 months) can be imposed if you

• by your own improper actions cause the termination of work that would have lasted more than 5 days
• refuse the work offered to you by the TE Office or another party and the work would have lasted more than 2 weeks
• refuse to participate in an interview or prepare or update your employment plan 
• interrupt or resign from an employment promoting service without a valid reason

Mandatory waiting period of 30 days (about 1 month) can be imposed if

• you resign without a valid reason from employment that would have lasted no more than 5 days
• refuse the work offered to you and the work would have lasted no more than 2 weeks. 

In some situations, your employer may enter into an agreement with you to terminate your employment and agree to pay you a separate compensation. If the payment of the compensation is not based on a collective agreement or any law, you are not entitled to unemployment allowance for the period of time for which the compensation received corresponds to as salary. The period for which unemployment allowance is not paid is calculated by dividing the compensation you received by the salary on which your daily allowance is based on. Read more about the salary on which your daily allowance is based on.

Holiday pay or salary for notice period are not separate compensation as they are based on law. Separate compensation is extra money that your employer is willing to pay to you. Compensations can be paid under several names, e.g. support package, lump sum payment, severance pay, golden handshake.