If you become unemployed and you are a member of an unemployment fund:

1. Notify the employment office on your first day of unemployment at the latest. Give the employment office the name of your fund, the Unemployment Fund for the Specially Trained (ERKO) (Erityiskoulutettujen työttömyyskassa (106)).

2. Notify the Akava Special Branches member register of your changed member information. Make sure now at the latest that you have paid your membership fees. The fund checks your member information with the union before issuing a decision on the allowance.

3. Apply for earnings-related unemployment allowance from the fund within three months of having registered with the employment office. You can send your first allowance application with appendices to the fund two weeks after becoming unemployed. You can also send subsequent applications through the fund’s on-line service at eErko.

4. You can pay your membership fees on benefits paid by the fund either yourself or send a letter authorising the fund to debit the fees.