Mandatory waiting period

If you neglect the job seeker's service process in one of the following ways, you will be imposed a waiting period or you will lose your entitlement to unemployment security indefinitely.

• You fail to arrive in an initial interview, a job search discussion, or a supplementary job search discussion,
• You report incorrect or incomplete information or otherwise cause a situation where job search discussions or supplementary job search discussions cannot be arranged for you.
• You refuse the drawing up or inspection of an employment plan or a replacement plan or you make it impossible to draw up or inspect the plan.
• You fail to arrive to the assessment of service needs referred to in the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration.
• You refuse the assessment of service needs as referred to in the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration or make it impossible to perform an assessment of service needs.
• You do not apply for work as required by the plan.
• You do not apply for the job assigned to you by the employment official or are personally responsible for not being selected for the position.
• You refuse the immediate research or assessment of your work ability or make it impossible for such a service to be arranged for you.
• You neglect to complete the tasks promoting job seeking and employment agreed on in the multidisciplinary employment plan.

Read more

• Initial interview and job search discussions
• Employment plan

You will be imposed a waiting period or you will lose your entitlement to unemployment security indefinitely if you refuse to participate in the following services that promote employment, suspend your participation, or make it impossible for such services to be arranged for you.

• Job search training, career coaching, labour market training, educational try-outs, work try-outs, or rehabilitative work activities.
• Independent studies referred to in the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration.
• Other service supporting job seeking or employment agreed on in the employment plan or a replacement plan.

If an employer offers you work and you refuse it or refuse a job for which you have been selected without a valid reason, the waiting period will last 30 or 45 days, depending on the duration of employment relationship. If the work would have lasted two weeks or less, the waiting period will last 30 calendar days. If the work would have lasted more than two weeks, the waiting period will last 45 calendar days. The waiting period for a refusal to work begins 30 days after the refusal.

If you resign from your employment without a valid reason, a waiting period of 30 or 45 days will be imposed on you as of the end of your employment, depending on the duration of the employment relationship. If the work would have lasted five days or less, the waiting period will last 30 calendar days. If the work would have lasted more than five days, the waiting period will last 45 days.

If you are personally responsible for the termination of your employment relationship you will be imposed a waiting period of 30 or 45 calendar days starting from the date of termination, depending on the duration of employment relationship.

If you have an obstacle that prevents you from participating in an initial interview, job search discussion, or preparation of an employment plan, notify your employment official thereof. If the unemployment official accepts the reason, a new date will be set for the meeting. If you miss an appointment, you will not be imposed a waiting period or lose your entitlement to unemployment security indefinitely if the reason is illness, accident or any other valid reason.

You may have a valid reason for not applying for a job as required by the plan. Valid reasons include:

• The job search obligation is not in accordance with the Act on the Organisation of Employment Services,
• Working hours realised later would have impacted the job search obligation,
• You have, during the Job search obligation review period, been employed continuously and full-time in a job without a pay subsidy for at least two weeks or
• You have been unable to meet the job search obligation due to disability.

You may refuse to take part in services that promote employment or suspend the services without being imposed a waiting period or losing your entitlement to unemployment security indefinitely if:

• the service is not suitable for you considering your state of health or your ability to work and function,
• the daily commute to the place where the service is provided exceeds an average of three hours,
• the service provider neglects their responsibility for the occupational safety of the person participating in the service or the service cannot be organized safely for any other reason,
• the service provider fails to comply with the legislation governing the organization of the service or the terms of the service contract, or
• the service differs significantly from what was agreed upon in the employment plan or an equivalent plan.

You are allowed to refuse or discontinue labour market training if the work in the sector is not suitable for you considering your state of health and work ability, or the income of you and your dependants is not reasonably secured during the training. A reasonable income means that you receive benefits in accordance with your entitlement to unemployment security.

You may have a valid reason for refusing a job that you have applied for or have been individually selected for by your employer without being imposed a waiting period, if it is

• part-time work, where your earnings would be less than your unemployment benefit while completely unemployed (when the salary for the work and the adjusted unemployment benefit are added up and the employment costs are deducted),
• work that is against your religious or conscientious beliefs,
• work that requires performing inappropriate work tasks,
• work involving a clear threat of violence,
• work involving harassment or other inappropriate treatment causing harm or danger to the employee's health,
• work that cannot be considered suitable for you given your ability to work,
• work that is subject to a strike, lockout, or blockade,
• work for which the salary paid is not in accordance with the applicable collective agreement or, if the sector has no collective agreement, the full‑time salary is less than EUR 1,134 per month (EUR 1,430 per month at the 2025 level),
• work in which the salary is based entirely on commission, or if the salary is partially based on commission, the fixed component of the full‑time salary is less than EUR 1,134 per month (EUR 1,430 per month at the 2025 level) or
• work for which the duration of your daily commute would exceed an average of three hours for full-time work or two hours for part-time work.

You also have skills protection, which means that during the first three months of unemployment, you can refuse work that does not correspond to your professional skills acquired through education or work experience.

You can also refuse if you have not been given a reasonable amount of time to arrange childcare or care for another person dependent upon you and to overcome commute-related or other similar difficulties.

If you refuse a job that you had applied for and been selected for, you have a valid reason to refuse the job only if you were unaware of the above matters when applying.

You will never be imposed a waiting period for refusal to work as an entrepreneur.

You will not be placed under a waiting period in each case of resignation, as you may also have a valid reason to resign. You may have a valid reason to resign,

• if the average duration of your daily commute is more than three hours for full-time work and more than two hours for part-time work, you have an acceptable reason to resign within three months of starting work,
• if, within one week of resigning, you move to another municipality where your spouse has a secure job or business and the duration of the daily commute exceeds an average of three hours for full-time work and two hours for part-time work,
• if your place of work changes during your employment so that the duration of your daily commute to a new place of work exceeds an average of three hours for full-time work and of two hours for part-time work,
• if the job is not suitable for you given your ability to work,
• if you have a so-called zero-hour contract, and there has been no work available during the 12 calendar weeks prior to the resignation during which the work requirement could be fulfilled, or
• If you are not entitled to adjusted unemployment security and your salary is less than EUR 1,134 per month (EUR 1,430 per month at the 2025 level).

When looking at time, public transport, the use of a bicycle or your own car, as well as the possibility to walk on a business trip are taken into account. You are not required to own a car.

Criteria in accordance with the Employment Contracts Act, such as non-payment of wages and endangering occupational safety, are also considered valid reasons for resignation. However, try to resolve conflicts at the workplace first. You can talk to your supervisor yourself or with the help of a trade union representative or an occupational safety and health representative. The occupational safety and health authorities can help you with certain matters.