Government Proposes Limits in Unemployment Benefit
The Finnish government is considering a proposal which would place restrictions on a benefit claimed primarily by the long-term unemployed.
Unlike normal unemployment benefits, this one is not based on a previous salary.
According to a report in the Helsingin Sanomat, the government is planning to grant the benefit for 500 without conditions. After this, the unemployed person must either find a job or participate in training programmes, or they risk losing their support.
The local municipalities and state would be jointly responsible for providing work and education for the individual.
However, if the unemployment was to continue after a period at work or school, the individual would carry on receiving their benefit, the proposal states.
The plans are targeting those who have been unemployed longer than a year. The Ministry of Labour estimates there are some 100,000 of such cases in Finland, mostly men who are over 40 years of age.
YLE24, Helsingin Sanomat
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