Supporting employment

Discuss with a local employment services whether you are eligible for a pay subsidy. If the expert is in favour of a pay subsidy, mention to the employers that there is a possibility to receive financial support for your employment. You can also request a pay subsidy card from the expert or print it from the E-services at Job Market Finland.

If an employer is interested in hiring you but would have to purchase special aids or make other changes or arrangements to the workplace, they can apply for a subsidy for arranging working conditions from the employment services.

Kela can also arrange assistive devices for your work as vocational rehabilitation.

Ask local employment services if you could use a work trial to find a way back to work. You can find the workplace for the work try-out yourself or ask if the expert can arrange it.

If you start a work try-out and you are eligible for a pay subsidy, tell the employer about the subsidy. Pay subsidy may help you to find employment in the work trial place after the work try-out.

Municipalities offer work and work try-outs to people who have been unemployed for several years. Many organisations, parishes and non-profits, such as recycling centres and the Red Cross, employ long-term unemployed people.

Organisations often offer pay subsidy jobs, work try-outs, rehabilitative work activities and job coaching. Organisations can provide advice, guidance, digital support, training and peer support from others in a similar situation.

You can ask  local employment services about open work try-outs and jobs in the municipality and organisations.

You may be entitled to rehabilitative work activity if you have been unemployed for a long time. Rehabilitative work activities can improve your work ability and employment opportunities.

Rehabilitative work experiences are organised by wellbeing services counties and may include association, foundation or parish-organised workshop activities.

A rehabilitative work experience period lasts at least three months, at a pace of one to four days a week. During your work experience, you are entitled to unemployment security and any related travel or other expenses.

Discuss the rehabilitative work activities with

• the local employment services or
• the expert at the employment or social welfare services in your wellbeing services county.

Rehabilitative work activities - JobMarket.fiOpens in a new window.

If necessary, local employment services or Kela may direct you to a multidisciplinary joint service that promotes employment.

If you have been unemployed for a long time, you can participate in a multidisciplinary joint service that promotes employment. Joint services will be of particular benefit to you if you have life management issues, limited functional capacity, or your work ability has otherwise been impaired. For example, you can start a work trial, vocational rehabilitation or rehabilitative work activity while your overall situation is being investigated. The aim of the activities is to move forward step by step in your situation.