How can I join the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko when I am a member of another unemployment fund?

You can only change unemployment funds during employment. If you are unemployed, on child care leave or on study leave, for instance, you may not change your unemployment fund. The employment requirement also applies to students who wish to change their unemployment fund.

Your membership of Akava Special Branches and the member organisation will begin on the day when your application reaches Akava Special Branches, unless you specifically request that your membership starts at a later date.

Your membership of the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko begins from the date on which you applied for membership. The membership fee for Erko is included in the membership fee you pay to the union.

You will receive confirmation on becoming a member of Akava Special Branches and the unemployment fund within a few weeks.

When can I resign from my previous unemployment fund and union?

When you wish to change your unemployment fund, start by sending your application to Akava Special Branches. In your membership application, you can either authorise Akava Special Branches to take care of your resignation from your previous unemployment fund/trade union, or you can notify them of your resignation yourself. If you submit a resignation notification to the previous union/fund yourself, do so only after you have received confirmation of your membership of Akava Special Branches having begun. This ensures your continued unemployment fund membership without interruptions. Working time outside the validity of the membership is not covered by the insurance so it does not accumulate the condition regarding previous employment.

The working time and insurance periods accumulated during membership at an unemployment fund are transferred as such to the new unemployment fund if the change of funds takes place within one month. You must pay the membership fees for the old unemployment fund/union until the resignation moment, following the rules of the fund/union in question.

If you exceed the one-month transfer time, you must re-accumulate the working time and insurance periods in the new fund.

You cannot be a member of two unemployment funds at the same time.