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Online service Specialists in the Youth and Sports Sector
See further instructions in the following situations:
Member receiving benefits from an unemployment fund
No employment income or benefits paid by an unemployment fund (minimum payment)
Student
Individual professional, entrepreneur and freelancer
Pensioner
A member in military or civilian service
An honorary member of the union
Employee or employed freelancer
Your membership fee is 1.25%
- of employment income subject to income tax (including holiday compensation, holiday bonuses and fringe benefits, such as lunch, car and phone benefits, and so-called severance packages if your employment is terminated). The fee is also paid from the so-called support package in the event of termination of employment.
- of benefits paid by the unemployment fund (automatically deducted by the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko)
However, the lowest possible membership fee is EUR 23 per month.
If you have several employers, you pay the membership fee from all your earned incomes.
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Member receiving benefits from an unemployment fund
Your membership fee is EUR 23 per month.
A member receiving an adjusted earnings-related unemployment allowance (fund) only pays the membership fee for their main income.
If you receive an adjusted earnings-related unemployment allowance (fund), you only pay the membership fee for your main income. In a situation where your working hours and time within the scope of the adjusted unemployment allowance go exactly 50%-50%, you will pay the membership fee for the allowance of the unemployment fund, the amount of which is EUR 23 per month. If earnings are your main source of income, the amount of the membership fee is 1.25% of income, but not less than EUR 23 per month.
No employment income or benefits paid by an unemployment fund (minimum payment)
If you have no employment income or do not receive benefits from an unemployment fund, your membership fee is EUR 10 per month.
For example, the following situations may apply:
- you are on family leave (NB! If your employer pays the salary of the first three months of your maternity leave, you pay the percentual membership fee normally for those months.)
- you receive adult education allowance
- you receive grants
- you are on unpaid sick leave
- you receive rehabilitation support
- you receive a benefit for caring for close relatives
- you are unemployed or laid off and receive a benefit from Kela
- you are working abroad (and not a posted worker).
A member receiving basic unemployment allowance (Kela) or another allowance only pays the membership fee for their main income.
If you receive an adjusted basic unemployment allowance or another benefit (for example, partial care allowance or rehabilitation allowance), you only pay the membership fee for your main income. In a situation where your working hours and time within the scope of the adjusted unemployment allowance go exactly 50%-50%, you will pay the minimum membership fee for the allowance of the unemployment fund, the amount of which is EUR 10 per month. If earnings are your main source of income, the amount of the membership fee is 1.25% of income, but not less than EUR 23 per month.
Student
The student membership fee is EUR 5 per month. You can pay the membership fee either every three months (EUR 15) or for the whole year at one time (EUR 60).
You can add the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko to your membership without additional costs, through which you are entitled to earnings-related unemployment allowance if you have periods of unemployment immediately after your graduation. The amount of earnings-related unemployment allowance is usually, at least, approximately EUR 1,300, and the prerequisite for receiving it is that you have worked for a total of 6 months during your studies. If you do not add the unemployment fund to your membership, you will receive Kela's basic unemployment allowance for unemployment periods, which is approximately EUR 800 per month.
You can add the unemployment fund to your membership by using the following forms. Fill in the first form if you already know your next working day and the second if your next working day is not yet known.
- I want to add Erko to my membership (form only in Finnish)
- I am a student and I want to add Erko conditionally to my membership (form only in Finnish)
If you are not working, your joining will, at first, be conditional* and will be activated on the day you start working and provide us with your first day of work and employment details. You can use this form to report information.
*What does a conditional membership of the unemployment fund mean?
Only a person in paid employment can be a member of the unemployment fund. If you are a student and you have no salary income, you can join the unemployment fund as a conditional member. Your actual membership will start on the day you start working and notify us of the start date of your employment, your job title and the name of your employer. A conditional student member of the unemployment fund pays the full membership fee, even if they are not employed.
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Individual professional, entrepreneur and freelancer
Your annual membership fee is EUR 200 (single payment or EUR 16.67 per month). If you become a member or start your business in the middle of a year, the membership fee is only charged for the remainder of the year.
The annual fee also applies to a freelancer who only has assignment relationships.
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Pensioner
As a pensioner, you pay EUR 10/month.
A part-time pensioner only pays the membership fee for their main income.
If you are on a part-time pension, you only pay the membership fee for your main income. In a situation where your working hours and time within the scope of the part-time pension go exactly 50%-50%, you will pay the membership fee for the allowance of the pensioner member's, the amount of which is EUR 10 per month. If earnings are your main source of income, the amount of the membership fee is 1.25% of income, but not less than EUR 23 per month.
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A member in military or civilian service
A member in military or civilian service is exempt from membership fees.
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An honorary member of the union
An honorary member of the union is exempt from membership fees.