A – Vignette sheet

(interviewees and their role): 2 job counsellors; case management; 1 expert interview

Source of information: www.finlex.fi; www.kela.fi; www.mol.fi; www.sotkanet.fi

	A.1.1.	Variations
A.1.2.0 – Public authority/authorities considering the demand (name; territorial level; institutional framing)	Name: job counsellor Level: local – the municipality of Hämeenlinna Frame: The employment office is a local service which serves one municipality. At the national level, the management of employment office is the responsibility of the labour administration (Ministry of Labour) and comes under an order of the Employment and Economic Development Centre for Häme. It receives funding through the Ministry of Labour. At the national level the earnings-related unemployment benefit is managed and financed by unemployment funds. The employment office serves those unemployed who live in the municipality and are registered as job-seekers at the employment office, are aged 17−64, are currently working or entering working life, as well as employers. The employment office also offers services to immigrants who live permanently in the municipality and are register as job-seekers. The employment office offers an individual customer service and Internet services that jobseekers can use on their own. Individual clients are offered services in the areas of job seeking, career planning, occupational rehabilitation and entrepreneurship. The employment office also gives advice on applying for unemployment benefits and supports access to employment in different ways. The access to a job counsellor and vocational guidance occurs by appointment. Employment authorities meet clients every weekday from 9 to 15.45. Job-seekers can access the employment office during opening hours by phone (weekdays 9-16). Actors involved and relationship structure: 1. Employment consultant for first interview who draws up a labour situation statement; case assessment 2. Client demands an [un]employment programme at the employment office 3. Clients applies for an employment programme increase from the unemployment fund 4. Unemployment fund (payer): decision-maker 5. Job counsellor initially interviews and draws up an employment programme; case management 6. Third sector or public sector: measure providers
A.1.2.1.1. – Cash allowance (amount per month; duration)	Entitlement (access criteria; appeals): Mr. A is entitled to earnings-related unemployment allowance comprising employment programme supplement if he has been a member of an unemployment fund and paid his membership fees for at least 10 months' while insured, satisfied the 'employment condition' (working for 34 weeks within 24 months preceding the unemployment), has registered as a job-seeker at the employment office and has expressed the request related to employment programme within 30 days of being dismissed. To receive an employment programme supplement he has to have an employment programme plan. He is entitled to an employment programme plan if he has been dismissed on account of economic and production-related reasons and has at least 3 years of service with the same employer or different employers or if he has a fixed-term employment contract and has been employed with the same employer for at least 36 months within the last 42 months. Besides these he is entitled to an employment programme plan if he has had a fixed-term employment contract and he has been laid-off for at least 200 days without interruption. If he does not satisfy the prerequisites of the employment programme, he is entitled to earnings-related unemployment allowance. The labour situation statement which is made by the employment office is binding on the unemployment fund. Mr. A has the right to appeal the decision of the labour situation statement or the decision of Kela via the unemployment benefit security board and the decision of unemployment security board can be appealed via the Insurance court. Amount: The amount of earnings-related allowance is calculated on the basis of Mr. A's regular wages or salary during the 10 months of employment immediately preceding unemployment. Mr. A's earnings-related unemployment allowance is on average between EUR 1 042 and EUR 1 282 a month. For example, if Mr. A's monthly gross pay is EUR 2 000 the employment programme supplement is 70 per cent of his gross salary. In this case it is EUR 1 409 a month. The percentage of payroll tax is four percentage units higher than normal payroll tax. Duration: Mr. A is entitled to an earnings-related unemployment allowance for a maximum of 500 working days and the employment programme supplement in all for a maximum of 185 days. Steps and path through services and offices: 1. Mr. A registers as a job-seeker at the employment office and visits the employment consultant. 2. Mr. A requests an employment programme from the employment consult, who draws up the labour situation statement with the necessary documentation and background information that the client has given to him or her. 3. Employment consultant sends the labour situation statement to the client. 4. The client applies for an employment programme supplement from the unemployment fund. The payer (unemployment fund) makes a decision (in favour or negative) and sends the decisions and appeal instructions to the client.	A.1.3.2. (1) A.1.3.3. (2) A.1.3.4. (3) A.1.3.6. (4) A.1.3.7. (5)
A.1.2.1.2. – Means test (if yes, who and how)	Office/professional in charge: - How: -
A.1.2.2. – Circumstances for losing benefit	Mr. A loses his unemployment allowances after 500 working days. He also loses his unemployment allowance if he refuses or resigns from work that is suitable for him; or if he refuses to draw up a job-search plan/employment plan or refuses or drops out of labour market policy measure without adequate reason or neglects the implementation of an individualised job-search plan/employment programme. Refusal to participate in activation measures or work results in the withdrawal of earnings-related unemployment allowance for 60 days. A person can also receive activation measure benefits i.e. training daily allowance, during the qualifying period.
A.1.2.3. – Programmes (if yes, description; duration)1	Entitlement (access criteria; appeals): Mr. A has to register as a job-seeker at the employment office. In the case of the employment programme, he has to satisfy certain conditions (see above 1.2.1.1.). In the case of the earnings-related unemployment allowance, he is entitled to the job-search plan within five months of the time he becomes unemployed. He has a right to participate one at a time in all the activation measures that have been written down in the employment programme plan or job-search plan. (See summary table Activation on the labour market.) If the job counsellor considers that he also needs clarification on his work ability, the rehabilitation authority at the employment office and either a primary health care doctor or a private doctor can give such a clarification. He has no right to appeal against the employment office's decision concerning the activation measures for the labour market. Description: An individual employment programme plan can include services such as independent job-seeking, labour market training, work experience and other services that develop vocational skills. A job-search plan could include primarily information and job-seeking as self-service and vocational guidance, but it is also possible to offer him other employment services. Duration: The duration of independent job-seeking and vocational training varies; labour market training lasts generally between three to 12 months and work experience lasts a maximum 6 months if a person works with the same employer, otherwise the maximum duration is considered according to the need. Steps and path through services and offices: An employment consult at the employment office makes an appointment with Mr. A and a job counsellor, but it is possible that Mr. A could meet the job counsellor immediately. If not then the job counsellor invites Mr. A to draw up a job-search plan within a maximum of one month after Mr. A has registered himself as a job-seeker at the employment office. In this appointment Mr. A and the job counsellor agree the services and sign the plan. Following this, the plan obligates Mr. A to comply with the measures set out in the plan. After that a job counsellor assigns Mr. A to participate in activation measure. The job counsellor organises the measure and sends related information to Mr. A. If Mr. A has not succeeded in gaining employment himself within five months of the time he becomes unemployed, a job counsellor will invite him back to the employment office at predetermined intervals to review the job-search plan and possible adds new services and measures that are needed to promote his employment opportunities. This review job-search plan is called an individual job-search plan.	A.1.3.1. (1) A.1.3.3. (2) A.1.3.4. (3) A.1.3.6. (4) A.1.3.7. (5) A. 1.3.9. (6)
A.1.2.4. – Circumstances for losing rights to follow the programme	In fact it is impossible for Mr. A to loose the right to take part in activation measure, as the employment authorities are duty-bound to organise different kind of measures. In practices, creating opportunities for participating in activation measures are a prerequisite for Mr. A to receive unemployment security benefit.
A.1.2.5. – Strengths and weaknesses of service/policy organization	Strengths: Employment policy is standardized unitarily and employment services are basically similar in all municipalities. Weaknesses: Objectives of employment services are contradictory. At the same time the employment authorities have both to service and to sanction clients.
A.1.2.6. – Last reform2 (year; changes in the access chances)	Year: 2005. Change security. Access changes: The operational model of employment and change security increases the employee's security in dismissals on account of economic or production-related reasons or when he/she is under threat of dismissal. All employees who are dismissed on account of economic or production-related reasons are entitled to a paid leave during their notice period. The length of the leave is 5–20 working days. They could also receive employment programme supplement for a maximum of 185 days. Other relevant changes: The operational model of employment and change security intensifies the cooperation between employees, employers and the employment offices. The employer is now obligated to inform the employee about his right to the employment programme and the employment programme supplement. The employer must inform the employment office immediately about ending a fixed-term employment contract or when dismissing employees who are covered by the change security. (See more WP1.)
A.1.2.7. – How relevant is this case in your country?	Qualitative interviewees’ evaluation: This case is quite common. Interview's opinion is that Mr. A could gain employment himself through the open labour market. Estimated weight of this case on all cases: Related to the statistics the share of recipients of earnings-related unemployment allowance of all recipients of unemployment benefits (earnings-related and basic unemployment and labour market subsidy) was at the national level 46% and at the local level 43 % during 2005. At the national level the share of recipients of earnings-related unemployment allowance aged 40 to 44 was 23% of 40-44 years old recipients of unemployment benefits in the year-end 2005. The share of male recipients of earnings-related unemployment allowance comprising the employment programme supplement of all recipients of earnings-related unemployment allowance comprising the employment programme supplement was 39% in 2005.
A.1.2.8 Further comments	Background information related to Mr. A's case is not enough to tell exactly he is entitled to in the way of earnings-related unemployment allowance comprising employment programme supplement.

Variations
A.1.2.1.1.

(1) A.1.3.2. He is entitled to earnings-related unemployment allowance with child increments; EUR 6.54 a day; EUR 140.6 a month. This increment is taxable.

(2) A.1.3.3. If he has an integration plan (an individual plan which have to drawn up at the after 5 months unemployment or reception of social allowance to those immigrants who live permanently in Finland and are registered as job-seekers at the employment office) and does not obtain a salary the subsistence is guaranteed by means of an integration allowance. It consists of labour market subsidy and maintenance subsidy is paid if necessary. He is entitled to integration allowance maximum three years, but reasonable cause it could be lengthen with two years.

(3) A.1.3.4. See above A.1.3.3.

(4) A.1.3.6. He is entitled to wage support which level is 23.5 euro a day gross. Level of supplement part is means test. Wage support could be a basic part raised maximum 60 per cent or 90 per cent. Wage support is paid to employer. Support is paid maximum five day a week and maximum 10 months. If a person is handicapped the wage support could be permanent.

(5) A.1.3.7. His 500 days' earnings-related unemployment allowance is expired and he moved to receive basic unemployment allowance paid by Kela. It is EUR 505.25 a month and it is taxable.

(1) A.1.3.1. If Mr. A is motivated to take part in labour force measures, employment office guides him on measures and training. Otherwise employment office doesn't 'burn up gunpowder' to change Mr. A's situation.

(2) A.1.3.3. According to the Integration Act (493/1999) Mr. A is entitled to services for integration of immigrants. The immigrant draws up an integration plan with a representative of the employment office. The measures that are put in the plan depend on Mr. A's knowledge of language, education or skills. If he has problems with knowledge of language, the employment office and Economic and Employment Development Centre could arrange language training for him. If he doesn't have problems with language, employment office offers him labour market training.

(3) A.1.3.4. See above A.1.3.3.

(4) A.1.3.6. He is entitled to labour market training or wage support. (See above A.1.2.1.1.).

(5) A.1.3.7. He is defined as a person who is difficult to employ. From different kind of programmes he is offered highest increased wage subsidy: labour market subsidy increased with 90 per cent. This support is paid to private firm. If Mr. A has lost his ability of work permanently, the wage support could be a permanent solution. Because his right to receive earnings-related unemployment allowance is expired, maximum 500 days has run out, employment authorities begin to consider if it is now a time to move him as a client of labour force service centre.