You will receive a discount on your membership fee if you have not been in gainful employment for more than three months. It is a good idea to apply for a reduced membership fee as soon as you have received a decision on e.g. maternity leave or job alternation leave. You are also entitled to a discount when you are unable to fully make use of our members’ benefits (e.g. living abroad, self-employed member).
Self-employed members who have joined an unemployment fund for entrepreneurs, those working on a grant or scholarship, those working abroad in an EU or EEA country for a local employer, those working abroad for an international organisation
Members who are unemployed, on parental, study or job alternation leave, performing military or national service, or working outside the EU/EEA. Members on parental leave can only apply for a discounted membership fee for the months when they did not receive a salary.
Pensioners and people living abroad who are not working
A person who is simultaneously a member of the Finnish Union of University Professors or the Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers and of Social Science Professionals will receive a 25 per cent discount on the membership fees of both unions.
RETROSPECTIVE APPLICATION
A discounted membership fee can be granted retrospectively from the start of the current year or three months since the unemployment began at the earliest. The application must be sent to the Union’s office by the end of the year, and it applies to one year at a time. If you have overpaid for your membership during the year, the excess will be taken into account in your following invoice.
GRANTING A FEE REDUCTION
The Union will send the applicant a decision on their right to a fee reduction by email, or a new invoice which includes the discount.
WHEN THE GROUNDS FOR A REDUCTION NO LONGER APPLY: REMEMBER TO NOTIFY US!
When you apply for a reduced membership fee you commit to notifying the Union immediately when the grounds for a reduction cease to apply to you. In this instance the membership fee will be increased to the normal level for the rest of the year. If you as a member neglect your responsibility to notify us of the change the Union can overturn the grounds for a reduced membership fee.
In order to be granted a reduction you have to enclose proof of your right to a reduced membership fee. You can send us the copies of your documents (e.g. a photograph of the document is acceptable) as an attachment to the application form or later by post, fax or email.
A copy of Kela’s decision regarding maternity or parental leave: in the application you must also include the length of paid maternity leave at the start of the leave (also note if there is no paid leave) and potential periods of paid annual leave. If the length of the paid leave is not noted in the application/evident from the attachments it will be assumed that the paid leave lasts 3 months.
A copy of Kela’s decision regarding child care leave: also note potential periods of paid annual leave in the application.
The first and latest notice of payment of unemployment allowance which state the start date and continuance/length of the unemployment: you can only apply for a reduced membership fee when you have been unemployed for at least three months.
A copy of the lay-off certificate: if you have been laid off indefinitely you can only apply for a reduced membership fee once you have been laid off for at least three months.
Certificate of attendance from your educational institution.
A copy of the study leave/job alternation leave agreement which has been drawn up with your employer.
A copy of the decision to award you the grant. On the application for a reduced fee you should also include the time within which the grant will be spent.
A copy of the call-up papers: if the end date is not known when the application is submitted the discount will be granted for six months, and the member will notify the Union of the end date when this is known.
Copies of sick leave certificates or Kela’s decisions regarding sickness allowance: in the application you should include until which date your employer has paid your salary during your sickness leave. You can only apply for a reduced fee when you have been on unpaid sick leave for at least three months.
Copy of the decision.
Accounts of weekly working hours if the job is irregular part-time work, or a copy of the employment contract if you work regular hours. You can apply for a discount when the work that does not fulfill the employment condition has been going on for at least three months.
The work fulfills the employment condition if you have been working at least 18 hours a week (8 hours a week for teaching jobs) and your salary for full-time employment corresponds to the collective agreement or is at least €1236/month if there is no collective agreement. The salary will be assessed in proportion to your working hours when calculating the employment condition.
Don’t hesitate to contact us! Please call 010 231 0350 or send us an email (jasenasiat@yka.fi) for more information.
