Unpaid leave at the employer's initiative
An employee who goes on unpaid leave may be entitled to unemployment benefits under the conditions detailed below and the other conditions of entitlement to unemployment benefit.
To learn more about eligibility for unemployment benefit for a woman who took an unpaid leave because of a birth, click here.
Important information:
- Qualifying period entitling to unemployment benefits - at least 30 days.
- Deduction of vacation days - if you have vacation days left due by your employer, you will only receive unemployment benefit after exhausting these vacation days.
Please note, the balance of vacation days does not adversely affect the period of unpaid leave you were given.
For instance: if you were put on a 50-day unpaid leave and have 20 vacations days left, you will be entitled to unemployment benefit from the 21st day of unpaid leave (after offsetting the vacation days).. - You cannot work for an employer during unpaid leave and receive unemployment benefits, even for few days only.
- A person in unpaid leave for more than two months must pay national and health insurance contributions by himself - for more information, click here.
- A teacher on sabbatical leave (Year of Study) is not eligible for unemployment benefit in that year.
Due to the war relaxations were granted to those send on unpaid leave by their employer for the period between 7.10.23 and 30.11.23:
- The period of unpaid leave qualifying to unemployment benefit has been shortened to 14 days at least (instead of 30 days so far).
- Those put on unpaid leave are not required to use their remaining paid vacation leave due by their employer, in order to start receiving unemployment benefits.
Voluntary unpaid leave
Those who went on unpaid leave on their own initiative (even for justified reasons) from 2.7.21 onwards - will not be entitled to unemployment benefits.