If you do not resign yourself but are forced to leave the European Commission or another EU institution at the end of your contract, you might be entitled to an EU unemployment leave and a rather generous unemployment allowance.
Entitlement conditions
You will qualify for this benefit if you:
- Worked for the EU for more than 6 months
- Did not resign yourself before the end of the contract period
- Were not dismissed for disciplinary reasons
In short, you get the EU unemployment leave and unemployment allowance if your contract cannot be prolonged for legal reasons (for example, you’re a contract agent at the European Commission), or the respective EU institution does not prolong your contract for some other reason.
Length
The duration of the unemployment leave after leaving EU institutions depends on the time worked. In short, you gain four months of unemployment leave for every 12 months of work. Work three years, get a year of benefits, work six years, get two years.
However, the maximum duration of the EU unemployment leave and benefits payout may not exceed three years (36 months). Hence, you are affected by this limitation only if you have worked for the EU for more than nine years.
If there is an interruption in your unemployment leave, e.g., short term employment or you start a new job but get fired soon after, the allowance payment is at first suspended, but then can be resumed if you are still within the period of entitlement.
Example: You worked for the European Commission for six years as a contract agent. Your contract is not prolonged and you become unemployed. This entitles you to two years of paid unemployment leave from the European Union. Further, you return to your home country as an unemployed person, but then find a local job six months into your leave. However, after two months you realize that it’s not a good fit and you quit. In this case, your leave and allowance will restart. Bear in mind, that the unemployment leave period does not get extended by the period you worked!
Also, check the detailed rules. While the unemployment allowance benefit will resume, there might be a gap of two months before you get your EU payments restarted again.
Unemployment allowance amount and other benefits
The allowance is paid for a maximum of three years and decreases every twelve months. This is how the EU unemployment allowance is calculated:
- (a) 60 % of the basic salary for the first 12 months
- (b) 45 % of the basic salary for the 13th to the 24th month
- (c) 30 % of the basic salary for the 25th to the 36th month
Of course, this wouldn’t be the EU if the rules weren’t more complicated. Read on!
During the first six months of your unemployment period there is no upper limit to your unemployment benefit, i.e., you get all 60% of your previous salary. However, from month seven the unemployment allowance is limited at 2894,36 EUR. Fortunately, the unemployment allowance may never be lower than 1447,18 EUR. These thresholds are periodically adjusted so check the most recent figures with your institution’s HR before you leave.
The percentages above are calculated from the so-called ‘Brussels salary’, i.e., 100% of your nominal salary. The correction coefficient is not applied to the calculation of the unemployment allowance.
This means that if you work in a country with a correction coefficient lower than 100%, you’ll receive an unemployment benefit for an amount quite close to your previous salary.
JSIS
The EU really takes care of its former employees. Did you know that you get to keep the EU health insurance for both you and the family for the whole unemployment period?! And, just as while working, it’s active worldwide.
If you decide to live or travel in another country and incur medical costs, these will be reimbursed at the same rate as while you were employed – 80-85%. Just make sure you sign up for the external JSIS account.
Other conditions
After you leave an EU institution to become unemployed, you are expected to register with the national unemployment service in any EU country. Usually people choose their own country, but they don’t have to.
One is free to choose a country where obligations for the unemployed are more lax, for example, fewer visits to the unemployment agency, less participation in “active employment measures”, fewer requirements to show that you are looking for work.
Forms
Click on the link to download the appropriate European Commission form to claim the EU unemployment benefit.
VERY IMPORTANT: You have to send it to the relevant PMO email address (PMO-CHOMAGE@ec.europa.eu) in EIGHT days after your contract with the EU ends. Otherwise you will loose the right to claim this benefit.
If you are looking for work in an EU institution, check out the article below about salaries in the various EU agencies with direct links to each institution’s vacancies portal.
What to do while unemployed?
Being on unemployment leave from the European Commission, EU agencies, the European Parliament or the Council is an opportunity you shouldn’t waste, especially if you are entitled to a longer leave period.
Many people take a few months off before finding a new EU or national job, but you don’t have to. These are some of the more productive things people have chosen to do while on their unemployment leave from the EU:
- Travel the world with family, do that long-planned gap year anywhere
- Get a new educational degree
- Get vocational training
- Give a shot at entrepreneurship while having a good safety net
- Seriously develop a new hobby
Do you have question or suggestion for this article? Please share in a comment below and let’s make this resource better for you and other readers!
78 responses to “EU unemployment allowance and leave”
Hi and thanks to Ben for doing a great job!
I have a question about moving to another country when still unemployed and receiving EU unemployment benefits
More specifically, I would like to ask which institutions you need to contact if you move to Belgium: I heard of two entities called ACTIRIS and CAPAM but I have no idea what exactly they are..
Thanks a lot for your help
Hi Ben!
I am currently under probation period as a TA in the EC but things are not moving very well for me. I don’t feel happy or appreciated and I certainly am not giving 100% of myself in my work. I wouldn’t be surprised if my contract is not extended after the probationary period. I guess I would be eligible for a sort of an allowance after that, if this materialises? Does that happen in any case or in case of ‘incompetence’, as stipulated by the Staff regulations? Also, if that happens, could it be an issue for any future employment within the Commission? Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.
I appreciate your time and would be very grateful if you could provide me with a reply.
Hi, don’t take me as an expert but my understanding si that you are entitled to unemployment money for a perios equal to 1/3 of the time you worked for the EU,
I am not sure if that applies also in the case of a TA/CA contract not renewd after probation, in any case I never heard of anyone being kicked out after probation.. It sound very unlikely to me!
Good luck, in any case
Hello, could you please direct me to the official source indicating that if I find a new job during the unemployment period and after a few months I decide to quit, then the unemployment allowances will resume for the remaining period? Most importantly, if I’m currently receiving unemployment allowances, but I start a new job at an EU Agency (so my unemployment benefits are interrupted) and then after a few months I decide to quit, will I be still eligible to resume my initial unemployment rights? Thank you very much!
Hi Ben,
Do you know if this also applies to APA in EP, or is it only for institution employees?
Do you know if I need to pay taxes in the country I will move to, or should I still pay the EU tax as an employee?
Kind regards
Hi! Easiest question first – just like EU salaries, the EU allowances are not taxed at the national level.
Staff that are employed by the European Parliament and are not “tied” to an MEP are entitled to the unemployment allowance. In this case the regular Staff Regulations apply. However, what I don’t know is what happens to APAs who’s contract is tied to the office term of a specific MEP. EP website only provides info about the MEPs’ social guarantees.
Hello,
I am a scientific officer, Contract Agent (CA) FG IV, non-EU citizen but a citizen of candidate state. Recently, there are news regarding possibility of working 3 more years as Temporary Agent (TA) after 6 years of CA contract. I’ve tried to find info regarding whether non-EU citizens (candidate state’s citizens) can work with TA contracts. However, I couldn’t find a definite answer. Could you please let me know if anyone in my situation can work as TA?
Thanks.
Hi! I knew that Western Balkan and some other third country nationals could work or be SNEs in some agencies, particularly those that have legal agreements with the agency and the government makes a financial contribution to the budget. However, I don’t know the arrangements that well.
Please consider posting your question to the Facebook group. Maybe someone has relevant experience or knowledge!
First of all, thank you so much for this very clear article. It has helped me to understand the process much better.
My question is related to unemployment and pension. Does unemployment allowance still making a retention for the pension regime?
My case is that when my CA period ends, I will have a year and a half left until retirement and I would like to know if I take the unemployment allowance , will I continue to contribute towards the pension and therefore will it benefit me at all when calculating the pension payment?
Thank you.
Jose, hi! In my case, the unemployment allowance didn’t count towards the minimum 10 years in the EU system. I believe that’s a general rule for all former staff of EU institutions.
If you already have the 10+ years in the system, you can take the unemployment allowance and then start receiving the pension once you reach age 66 (or from age 58 if you decide to retire early with the correlated permanent pension decrease for year of early retirement). However, the unemployment period will not increase your pension proportional to the length of the unemployment period. I believe this was your main question.
Hi Ben and Jose,
I think, Ben, that the question from Jose was slightly different: I think he meant to ask wether during the unemployment period you are somehow contributing to the pension funds, in other words: if I spend one year unemployed receving dole money from the EU, do I pay any contribution towards my future pension?
My personal answer is no, it would be nice but no way that happens…
I agree – EU unemployment leave period does not count towards future pension rights, neither financially nor timewise.
Hello!
Firstly, I would like express my appreciation for the informative website you’ve created. It has been a valuable resource for me.
I have a few questions regarding the conditions for receiving EU unemployment allowance.
First, is there a time limit for resigning from a job to qualify for the allowance, for instance after being offered a second contract?
Second, do I need to state the reason for my unemployment before being granted the allowance?
Thank you for your time and keep up the good work!
Hello Bob,
I might be of help, having passes through most phases in the “unemployment benefits hunt”.
First of all, as far as I understand if you resign from your job you are NOT entitled to any benefit, which makes sense if you think about it..
As for stating a reason for not working, no you do not need to provide any
Hello Alessandro,
Thank you for your response – highly appreciated!
I apologize for the confusion in my initial message.
Here’s my situation:
– I’m currently on unpaid leave from my civil servant position in a MS
– I’ve been working for an EU agency in another MS (TA position) for several years
– I’ve been offered a new contract with the EU agency
– I’m considering resigning from my civil servant position in my home country (where my family has not been living for many years).
My questions are: Would I be eligible for EU unemployment allowance after my contract with the EU agency ends, even if I voluntarily resigned from my civil servant position in my home country?
Will I be asked the reason for the resignment when applying for the allowance?
Many thanks in advance!
Hi again Bob,
(sorry I could not reply to your reply..)
OK I understand now, in this case I guess there should be no porblem, I resign rfom my job in Spain before starting a term with the EU and at the end of contract I received my unemployment benefits
And again, no one asked me the reason for resigning from a previous job
Hope this helps
Many thanks, Alessandro!
Hi! If you resign, you will not qualify for the unemployment allowance. I have no idea why EU institutions don’t offer the unemployment allowance for people who leave institutions without a next job lined up.
The unemployment allowance as such is mostly meant for contract agents who’s contracts end and can’t be prolonged and the rare Administrator and Assistant who does not pass the probation period. I cannot think of any other reasons when one would qualify for this allowance.
I know – a major bummer for many!
Hi Ben,
Thanks for your reply.
To clarify, I’m not resigning from the EU institution where I’m currently employed (I’m on my first TA contract). Instead, I’m resigning from my job in my home country (where I’ve been on unpaid leave for several years) and will continue with my second contract at the EU. Does this change the outcome?
Thanks in advance!
I’m still not 100% I fully understand your situation. In any case, entitlements to an EU unemployment allowance are not affected by your national entitlements, employment status, etc. The EU unemployment allowance is paid after employment in an EU institution after your contract has ended for a reason that makes you eligible for this EU allowance.
You are asked every month to provide a confirmation/certificate from your national unemployment authority that you are still unemployed and that you have fulfilled all the national obligations for job seekers, but that’s it. National authorities don’t influence the amount of your unemployment benefit.
Subject: Inquiry about unusual Unemployment allowance delay
First and foremost, congratulations on your excellent webpage!
I have a question regarding the unemployment allowance for August 2024. I submitted my monthly declaration in early September, but I have yet to receive both the salary slip and the payment. Have any other colleagues experienced similar delays?
Best regards,
Hi! Thanks for the appreciative words!
Some key details are missing in your question. However, if I understand the question correctly, you’re wondering where’s your allowance.
Please note that there’s a 1 month delay in paying the allowance to you. For example, you finish work by 31 August 2024 and immediatelly apply for the allowance in September. You will receive the first allowance only in October. I hope you have saving to last through the first month after employment. The good news – you will receive your last allowance payment a month “late”.
Has anyone actually got this payment? It seems to be designed in such a way that you feel like giving up. I am two months into the process now and still have not received one cent. I had to go through the rigmarole of applying to the Belgian authorities for unemployment allowance only to be told that I don’t qualify for unemployment allowance as it doesn’t apply to my previous profession (former EP APA). However, you are still required to get a form from the Belgian paying agent (CAPAC) for each month – which takes 7 working days by post to arrive. On top of that, you have to sign into about 4 different portals (using a combination if itsme and text codes) to get anywhere and the systems are all difficult to manage or crash. I’m beginning to think it’s all a game to force you out but I am not giving up!
Hi! People definitely receive this benefits. I’d start with EP HR first. In case they are uncooperative, ask around and try to find other recently unemployed EP staff members. Someone must have a fresh experience of winning in this Kafka-esque process. Word of caution – I really hope that you haven’t missed the deadline for submitting the form you’re supposed to get from the Belgian authorities. Please diligently document all interactions with the authorities so that you can prove that it’s not your fault the form arrived late.
Thank you. It all worked out in the end. If only the EU was as clear in their instructions as this website. Keep up the good work!
Dear Kevin, thanks for the reply. I’m happy all turned out well!
Dear Ben,
thank you for this. My contracted ended on 16.7.24 and I went to national authorities so I can get job seeker status. However they can register me as jobseeker from 1.9.24 since I also terminated my studies and they can register me as such person only if this is done.
My question is whether there is some period that has to be fulfilled that I have to register from the day one as unemployed person or I can claim my unemployment benefit from 1.9? So not directly from the day one from the day as my contract ended. Can you please advice me here?
My friend told me that I can claim it 8 moths after end of my contract is this really true?
Many thanks,
Simona
Hi! Even if you experience delays because of the national institutions, you have to send the form linked in the article (https://euemployment.eu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/claimunemployment_en.pdf) within 8 days after your contract with he EU institution. Otherwise you might loose entitlement to the EU unemployment allowance.
If you experience difficulties with the national authorities, document the process (at least save your email exchanges), and immediately consult the PMO. If you’ll be able to prove that you did everything in your power, they might waive the 8 day deadline. Please treat this very seriously!
Firstly, I would like to congratulate you on your excellent article. Secondly, I would be very grateful if you could help me better understand what I can do in my situation.
My contract with an EU agency is ending soon. Can I benefit from unemployment allowance if I have suspended my employment contract in my home country, so theoretically I would have a place to return to work, but my family is in Belgium now and for family reunification, I would prefer to stay in Belgium and look for another job?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Hi! I would require more information on the employment contract you had with the EU agency (TA, CA, SNE), as well as the type of suspended contract in your home country (have you been a civil servant?).
Hi! I just discovered this amazing website! Could you please explain the process for getting the form EC-FTCS signed at ADEM in Luxembourg? (In order to request the unemployment benefits). Is it sent by email? I can’t find any information about it.
Thanks!
Hi! I’m unable to answer this specific question about Luxembourg. Please consider asking your former institution’s HR, if the institution is in Luxembourg!
You could also ask a question in our Facebook group, as there might be someone who can reply regarding this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jobs.in.eu.institutions
Once you get the form signed by ADEM, please consider writing up your experience in as little as 2-3 paragraphs. I would gladly post it for other readers in the same future situation!
Hi Ben,
Thanks a lot for your patient answers, they reallt help!
I have a stupid question: I am jobless since april,1st after 6 years at the Commission, I have done the paperwork for the unemployment benefits, registered with the job centre and so on.
Thing is, because of a misunderstanding I still do not have the letter from job centre refusing me the national benefits, which I need to submit to PMO in may to get the unemplyment money for april.
My question: is there a time limit for applying for the benefits for one month? In other words, if I sent all papers for the month of april in June do I still get the money?
Thanks a lot!
Hi!
First of all, congrats on 2 years of have a leisure time. Spend at least a few months to recuperate and do something fun!
To business –
According to general administrative law principles, you cannot be held liable for the mismanagement of a government institution. In case you experience a delay in receiving the benefit, you should get the delayed benefit with the next monthly allowance payment.
However, what I would do is to send a formal letter to your national unemployment office ASAP informing them that you need the ‘refusal’ letter immediatelly. Do this to show that indeed it’s them and not you who didn’t obey the deadlines.
I’m lately hearing about cases where the PMO acts in a very uninterested and very bureaucratic manner at the expense of former staff of EU institutions. Because of this, try to do everything by the book and document every smallest problem in the process so you’re able to legally prove it later in case something goes wrong.
I think the rules haven’t changed and you should be entitled to the unemployment allowance alrady in May if your contract ended on 1st of April.
Hi again and thanks for your prompt reply,
I went to the job centre this morning and they claim filling the proper form (EC-EFTS I think) stating i am not entitled to any benefit from them should be enough.
I will call PMO tomorrow first thing and ask, and if they insist on the latttere of refusal I will follow your advice, but I hope the PMO will understand – let’s say I hope..
Thanks again and keep up the good work!
Alessandro
Hi, thank you for the article. Very interesting. Do you know if receiving the unemployment benefits affects your tax residence? I mean after the end of your contract your tax residence should be the one in which you are living despite the fact you are getting the EC unemployment allowance or you keep the established at the moment of your recruitment?
You decide your own tax residence. Receiving of the EU institutions unemployment allowance is not linked to this. What matters is that PMO asks you get secure a monthly certificate from an unemployment agency, preferably, in one of EU member states. You should choose a country where you can obtain the certificate.
Hello Ben,
I would be very thankful if you could please help me to understand how unemployment allowance and my duties concerning registering with a relevant national authority works in case of an illness.
I have been diagnosed with a life long illnesses, and have been placed on a prolonged sick leave. My employment contract as a temporary agent will end very soon.
Under Article 28a, 2 of the Staff Regulations Under (a) , (b) and (c) are outlined the responsibilities of a former member of the temporary staff.
Bellow in this paragraph it is also indicated that the allowance “may be granted or maintained by the Union, even where the national obligations referred to under (b) have not been fulfilled, incases of illness, accident, maternity, invalidity or a situation recognized as being similar or where the national authority, competent to meet those obligations, has given a dispensation “.
Owing to the gravity of my illness I am deeply concerned I will be able to actively look for jobs, or take part in training, or other activities that the local employment service might require from me in order to stay registered as unemployed.
As the Staff Regulations, Article 28a, 2. in the last paragraph, as quoted above – my question is as I am diagnosed with a lifelong long incurable progressive disease will I receive my unemployment benefits even if I can’t take part in job seeking or other activities as requested by the national employment services?
How would my responsibilities look like towards PMO and how towards the national employment services? I would still need to have each month a certificate issued by the competent national authority stating I have fulfilled the obligations? Will the medical certificates from a treating doctor be sufficient ( which will indicate my fitness to work) to submit to PMO and/or to relevant national employment services?
Or did anyone else had similar experiences with PMO and national employment services (in case of incapacity to work, life long illness etc) ?
Thank you in advance for your help in clarifying the matter.
Best regards ,
Ris
Dear Ris,
First of all, I’m sorry for the bad diagnosis.
Second, this matter is too serious to rely on the advice of me or other readers of this website, unless they are EU law specialists or with substantial background in EU HR matters.
With this out of the way, here’s what I’d do:
* You MUST do as much clarifying of your future entitlements as possible while your contract is still active. As soon as the contract will end, your access to expertise of EU institutions will be 5+ times more difficult. I hope that your health situation still allows you to contact your institution’s HR and the PMO, Paymaster’s Office, to find out as much as possible everything that pertains to your case. Also – better to ask the same question to both your HR at the same time, as sometimes the interpretations differ.
* Consider joining a labour union EU officials (one of these https://unionsyndicale.eu/en/about-us/member-organisations/ or another one recommended by your institution’s Staff Committee). However, before that find out if they offer legal advice to members. Some labour unions do 1 free case per year or a longer period. If you can afford it, this is the time to consult a lawyer.
* If you have worked less than 10 years for EU institutions, you are not entitled to the EU pension, however, you have probably accumulated substantial pension capital. Make sure to transfer it out of the EU pension system to a private third tier pension fund, so that any relatives or other persons could inherit the funds. If you’ll leave the money in the EU pension system, it will be lost if you die before reaching the official early retirement age of 58.
I’m looking forward to what other readers will suggest!
Dear Ben,
thanks a lot for your prompt reply, and for for very valuable inputs and suggestions.
It seems it is more complex than I imagined. I cannot agree more with you on the need to clarify what will be my rights and obligations in light of my illness.
If somebody else had similar experiences with an illness, their employer and PMO and unemployment allowance after their employment contract ended, please do share your experiences, it might be helpful.
I have read Viktor’s experience (sorry to hear about your awful experiences), which is very unfair and plainly wrong in how he is treated.
It seems the former EU employees are somehow left to the mercy and must alone deal with national employment services (although we all pay unemployment insurance). I think this should not be the case, there should be better cooperation and understanding established between PMO and national employment services.
If Viktor reads this, please get in touch with me directly (you can reach me at: bro527747@gmail.com), if possible (hope it is ok to leave my email contact here) as I am myself very concerned about also having such issues and I wonder how you had resolved that very serious problem (with the local employment service who did want to sign an EC-FTCS form).
Thank you.
Best, Ris.
It’s a shame I didn’t set up a Facebook group a long time ago. We’ve had many very competent readers, and it would have been way easier to tap into their expertise on FB rather than here in the comments section.
Ris, I truly hope you manage to find a competent person who’s gone through something similar.
Dear Ris,
I’ve just read your post now and it made me realise that I am still in a relatively reasonable situation.
Regarding my case with the EC-FTCS form: the Labour Market Service local office sent the form to their Directorate and I guess after a while they found a competent person who was familiar with the procedure and gave a green light to the local office to sign the form. Since then, they do it every month without bigger problems (except when there is an administrative mistake from their side).
In your case Ris, I think you can find some details in the PMO presentations (check also MyIntracomm). When you are sick and cannot go to the local labour office, you need to submit a sworn statement and a medical certificate about it as long as the situation persists. You can also contact PMO via Staff Matters, they reply (sometimes with a longer delay).
I hope you managed to solve your issue in the meantime.
I wish you all the best and Good luck.
Best regards,
Viktor
Dear Ben,
First of all, thanks for the post. I just wish all worked in a way you describe it.
As an „active” jobseeker, I would like to share my experience with you and also ask for your advice…
Before starting my jobseeker period, I knew that I could not continue my career and moving to a country where I do not speak its language would be another obstacle. Despite these challenges, I was expecting a little bit more relaxing period than I actually had. I thought I could re-plan my career, apply for jobs that fit my qualification and may learn new things to broaden my portfolio.
My story and experience
My wife got a position at a United Nations organisation in Austria. After the end of our contract at the European Commission, we moved there and I registered as jobseeker.
On the very first working day after my EC contract ended, I tried to register at the local Labour Market Service but they did not know what to do with an ex-EC staff. Furthermore, they did not want to sign a form (EC-FTCS form in our case) that was not released by any of the local Authorities/Ministries. After some hours of waiting, this first problem was solved.
The other surprise is that I seemed to be overqualified, they could not register me as a researcher/engineer and so when I mentioned my PhD degree, their surprise just increased.
They said that they did not have any job opportunity in their database in natural sciences/research or any closely related field. They just offered some technician and blue-collar positions. Since I did not speak the language, we agreed to follow a German course first. Here came another issue. Apart from the lengthy travelling time (>3 hours per day for a 3 hours course), the course speed was very slow. I tried to negotiate with my adviser at the Labour Market Service that I would follow another language course where the speed is closer to normal and I would cover my costs. Of course, the Labour Market Service did not agree and threatened me to de-register from the jobseeker database if I did so.
An extra “kind” service from the Labour Market Service and the language school was when I tried to take few days off to prepare for job applications and interviews, they did not grant these days and considered them as unjustified absence from the course…
After this language course, the Labour Market Service just forgot about me. I could benefit from it, in the meantime, I managed to finish two additional language courses covering my own costs.
Few weeks ago, out of the blue the Labour Market Service informed me that they de-registered me. After my complaints it turned out that they made an administrative error so they re-registered me. Since then, they are threatening again with de-registration especially if I do not accept the jobs they offer (mainly jobs requiring no qualification, blue collar jobs). It was very strange that my adviser did not find any available jobs for engineers/researchers in their database. When I checked it from home, I managed to find some…
What makes me also disappointed is the way my advisor treats me: unfriendly (sometimes arrogant), scornful and not very helpful. I pointed out that if an ex-EC staff wishes to begin a new job within 2 years after leaving the EC, then an authorisation should be requested from the EC first. My advisor said that they did not care about these rules, I should start any jobs when the Labour Market Service says so.
I still feel myself very privileged to be entitled for the jobseeker benefits but my situation is far from “ideal”. I am stressed, cannot really prepare applications properly, cannot learn new things and hardly manage my family.
I asked for help from PMO but the only thing they said that I should be considered as jobseeker but they did not explain how I could prove it if the Labour Market Service will not sign my monthly EC-FTCS form anymore. PMO adds that if I am sanctioned by the local authorities, then I have to accept it and PMO could not do anything (meaning I would loose my jobseeker status).
Could any of you give me an advice? Is there a legal document (EC directive, decision) that I could use apart from the staff regulation to explain my situation to the Labour Market Service adviser? Which official document describes the obligatory prior authorisation process? Thanks for the replies in advance.
Best regards,
Viktor
Hi! Very sorry to hear about your experience, however, it appears to do with the Austrian institutions and not with the EU. I would not hesitate to escalate this up the hierarchy in the Austrian institutions, but you might incure interpretation costs. Second option – register as an unemployed person in your home country or another nearby country where the unemployment rules are more friendly or they are easier for you to navigate. This might make you commute to the country’s unemployment office every 2-4 weeks (if they do not agree to remote visits), but this might be preferable to your current situations. Also – some countries differentiate the obligations unemployed persons have to fulfill based on where they declare they will look for work. E.g., if you search for work in the country, there’s a more stringent set of obligations. If it’s in another EU MS, the rules are less stringent. Maybe also consider consulting a labor union/labour law laywer.
Thanks for the post. I have a few questions: do you know which are the EU countries with less obligations (like visits to the unemployment agency) for the unemployed? In that sense, would it be better to register in Belgium or in Spain? In my case, I renewed my contract for 2 years but now I want to leave after 1 year, as I would like to do a long trip, and my hierarchy is aware. As resigning would deprive me of the right to the EU unemployment leave, is there a way to keep it? For instance, if they terminate my contract but not due to disciplinary reasons? Thanks in advance.
Hi! I’m not aware of the unemployment leave conditions in EU MS. Use your time in an EU institution to talk to colleagues from various countries. Some countries have a rule that if you declare that you are looking for work outside the EU, you have to show up at the unemployment office less frequently.
Indeed, you cannot leave yourself, as this will disqualify you from receiving the unemployment allowance. The only option available for most folks is if you have a time-bound contract agent contract. If you are an assistant or an administrator, there’s almost no chance the receive the unemployment allowance. One arcane rule from the staff conditions is that if your position is not anymore necessary and you are put on leave in the interests of service. Take a look at the Staff Conditions, but it will be near impossible if you are not a contract agent and do not serve until end of your contract term.
Hi, Many thanks for this. Very useful – one question – do you receive child and family allowances while being on unemployment leave? Asking as I have 3 small children
Yes, which is really sweet. I got slightly more money compared to when I was employed as the country I worked in had a low correction coefficient.
The correction coefficient is not applied to the unemployment allowance.
My CA contract ended recently because of a six year staff rule. The problem is I was advised the week before my contract ended that I will have to undergo a major operation (March) and some months recovery. I haven’t registered for any unemployment payment from the Commission because I cannot actively look for a new job. I understand a medical allowance can be paid in some circumstances but as I no longer have access to the EP intranet I cannot do anything. My HR manager is aware of the situation but nothing has been put in place and I’ve had no income for over 5 weeks. Can you advise me who to contact pls?
Please join a union asap (bbtk or similar) to get your papers faster proceeded. If not, you risk to wait a bit longer. Check all agencies for jobs, Epso, Facebook groups etc. You have to be active. Stay strong and don’t lose the hope.
Hi! I believe you should have registered for the unemployment. Medical reasons should not prevent you to qualify for the unemployment allowance. If there are any obligations the unemployment agency asks you to fulfill, these usually can be waived due to medical reasons.
There used to be a very strict rule that you had to claim the EU unemployment allowance 8 days after ending employment. Unfortunatelly, there is now the possibility that you might not get any EU umemployment allowance at all.
I hope that you can still salvage something! Please keep on contacting your previous institution’s HR or get in touch directly with the PMO.
Hi, Thank you very much for the information. I have just concluded my contract and intend to avail of chomage, I have sent off the first set of documentation and I have registered with actiris. My question is more procedural as my HR office dont know so I hope this is within scope. It seems that with actiris you register online and you can generate the A15 form every month. They dont sign the CE-AATC from anymore. For the interaction with CAPAC is it necessary to create an account and then to take an appointment, or is it enough to call in at the end of the month and get the form stamped. Im a little unsure at to how this works. Thanks
1) will the benefits be paid delayed? 2) not be paid at all? 3) stopped completely ? 4) what day are they supposed to be signed by the national um institutions and submitted in Sysper? (Last day of January for January?
Many thanks in advance!
How long is the so-called “EU unemployment leave period”, eg. after a 5 years CA contract?
From previous messages, I understand one can always get the EU unemployment allowance, even after a short term employment contract in a private company, as long as the allowance falls stills WITHIN the EU unemployment leave period. Correct?
Dear Ben,
Thanks for this and your other many useful articles, it really makes a difference to have all these materials in a one-stop place.
I was just wondering, though, if the ceilings are updated to 2022 – I would say they are not. In case you have the time to update them.
Thanks again for all your posts!
Thank you so much for the information! So, if I understand correctly there are no family related reasons where one can claim unemployment benefits. My husband is a national civil servant and is being transferred to a new post in another EU city (no choice). If I want to follow him to keep my family together and have to resign before the end of my contract, I cannot claim any benefits?
Thank you again!!
It seems that it’s impossible to get the unemployment allowance if you leave by your own initiative no matter the circusmstances. For me this seems to be very bizzare, but I haven’t yet read anything about finding a way around the regulations.
Yours is a valid case where I believe the unemployment allowance should be paid to allow you to resettle and find a new job. I’m imagining a worst-case scenario where you have to leave an EU institutions job because your child or spouse becomes very sick and you have to care full-time for the family member. In this case you also would not only lose a well-paid job with health insurance, but would be completely unprotected financially. I’m finding it hard to wrap my head around this.
Hi Ben,
in case you reside in the Netherlands but you already receive a pension from another EU country or private pension fund, are you still entitled in unemployment allowance?
Thanks
Thomas
Thomas, apologies, but I don’t know the answer. Please ask your former institution’s HR or the PMO.
Hello Ben,
I wonder about a situation when you have a fixed contract and you decide that you dont want your contract to be renewed (but of course you work until the end of your contract and you tell your boss more than 3 months in advance that you will not be interested in the renewal). Will you be entitled to an EU unemployment leave and the allowance?
Best regards,
Ella
Ella, hi! According to my understanding of the rules, in this case you would not be entitled to the unemployment allowance as you would be offered a contract extension, but you’d decline it.
I personally think that this is a weird provision in the EU staff rules that leaves institutions staff with little social security if they have to leave work for personal reasons (personal sickness, need to care for family member, willingness to retrain yourself, horrible boss, etc.). I would like to know if this has ever been reviewed by the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Thank you for your article! Do you know how tax declaration works in case of EU unemployed? If the person stays in Belgium, but not Belgian, is the unemployment benefit taxed?
Hi! The EU unemployment allowance, just as the EU salary and any other allowances, may not be taxed at the national level.
PMO requires you to register with an unemployment agency in any of the EU member states and satisfy the national requirements (usually something along the lines of looking for a job, undergoing some training, regularly reporting to the institution), and so that you could get the monthly form that you are still unemployed. However, the national authorities have no taxing rights over the EU unemployment allowance; this is solely managed by the PMO.
Out of my own experience, if you have a choice between several countries (geographical proximity, relatives, property, etc.), try to register in the one with fewer requirements on the unemployed. This makes your unemployment period much more enjoyable and leaves more time for recreation and real job search once you feel recovered from the previous job.
Hi, this is really useful, thanks!
I am working for the EU Commission at JRC Ispra (Italy), but once my contract ends I would like to receive my allowance in Belgium. I understood that in order to get the allowance I need to work for three months in Belgium after the end of my contract at the EU Commission.
Could you confirm this?
Thanks,
Francesco
Francesco, hi! It is a principle of the EU unemployment allowance that it is paid if you haven’t found work. If you would work any period in Belgium, you would not be entitled to the EU unemployment allowance. It is stated in the rules governing such situations that if you find work, the EU unemployment allowance is stopped. However, if you loose the work you found during the EU unemployment period, payment of the EU allowance is resumed (as are all the other benefits like JSIS coverage).
Where you choose to reside during your EU unemployment leave has the impact of what national unemployment rules you have to satisfy/follow during the unemployment period. It does not directly affect your entitlement to the EU unemployment allowance.
It used to be the case that the EU unemployment leave was paid 2 months after ending EU employment. For this reason you should have a financial cushion that allows you to survive this period without an income.
Good afternoon, thank you. 1) Could you pls advise if those amounts are net, meaning after all taxes? Therefore when you mention I get minimum 1447€ , is that net, or are those gross figures to which taxes are applied so I get less?2) Does 60% of my previous salary include my whole salary including the 16% expatriation allowance?3)If I;l worked part time on the last 4 month, would the allowance be 60% of it? Or an average of the last year? Thank you so much
Hi!
1. The amounts are “net”.
2. I’m certain that the unemployment allowance includes household allowance and dependent child allowance, however, I’m not certain about the expatriation allowance. I suggest to either ask you institution’s HR or write to PMO.
3. I don’t know about part-time work. It would be great if after you clarify this you would share with me so that I can update the article!
Thank you for that useful information.
What about the scenario if you work already several years and then changing a post and probationary for that post is not successful?
How long unemployed allowance will be payed in such situation?
Thanks for finding the site useful! According to my reading of staff rules, the total uninterrupted working time for one institution would count, so also the previous position’s time. However, if the new position is at another EU institution then I believe you would be just entitled to some very short unemployment period in accordance to rules that regulate probationary periods.
It is the same EU institution.
Thank you very much for your helpful answer.
Regards,
Thank you Ben. A really clear article on a subject that has been difficult to research.
Back on Brexit. Do you know if this article applies to UK staff whose contracts will be terminated with notice on 31/12/2020? Are the entitlement conditions still met in this scenario?
Hi, Sarah! I see no reason why UK nationals should be left without social guarantees, even if the UK doesn’t settle its outstanding contributions to the EU budget. All EU employees make their social contributions (pension, unemployment, etc.) so UK nationals should also be covered.
Many thanks for clarifying that.
Best regards,
Michael
Hi,
Thanks for that useful information. Do you know whether Irish passport holders from Northern Ireland are still entitled EU unemployment allowance if they return there after completing a contract in an EU institution? Since Brexit, Northern Ireland is no longer in an EU Member State but someone from there with an Irish passport is still an EU citizen.
Many thanks again.
Your rights to an unemployment allowance are not affected by where you settle while receiving it. Former EU employees are known to take a gap year, travel the world, and still receive the allowance. As long as you fulfil the obligations set by the PMO (the monthly form from the national authorities) and the unemployment institution you have registered with, you will receive the allowance.
Important to know – the unemployment allowance doesn’t get indexed by the ‘correction coefficient’ so you’ll receive the full planned amount even if you settle in a jurisdiction with a low coefficient.
Good morning,
Thank you for this helpful article.
I would appreciate some advice on the following:
1. JSIS: can I continue to benefit from the JSIS health insurance even when the country you are living in has an universal health coverage…?
2. Is it possible to apply for another position at the EC even if you did not pass the probationary period of your previous position.
3. What happens to your medical records once you leave the EC?
Thanks in advance,
Synead
Synead, hi! Thanks for you questions. I’ll try to answer as best as I can.
1. Nominally JSIS offers top-up coverage. Answer to this question differs based on whether:
a) you work for an institution in a country who’s national you are. Plenty of colleagues in such a situation are lucky and get reimbursed anyway in most cases. However, there are instances when JSIS refuses coverage. It, of course, matters what is the stated reason for denied reimbursement claims. Often in order to get reimbursed you have to demonstrate that the service was either unavailable in the public sector healthcare or that there were “gross deficiencies of the system”. This might be some research, official website that shows the queues for services. Some colleagues have managed to get reimbursed if they get a note from their family doctor who as an expert certifies that it was impossible or impractical to refer you to state-funded services. If you get denied reimbursement frequently, if a particular healthcare service is not an emergency, you can ask for a previous authorization to receive the services. Once you get that, there should be no issues with the reimbursement.
b) if you work in a different country than the one you are originally from. In the latter case, it also matters if you have taken the steps to enroll in the healthcare system of the country you are working in. It’s generally better not to enroll in the local healthcare system of the country your institution is located in. In most cases when JSIS denies reimbursement, you just have to write a standard letter to your own national healthcare institution asking to either reimburse a particular expense (attach the proof of payment) or provide a refusal to pay. Once you receive the refusal to pay, just forward it to JSIS/PMO and ask to reevaluate the reimbursement claim.
2. Yes, it definitively is. And you definitively should. The institutions are quite bad at getting in touch with previous employers unless you’re applying for a very high-level position.
3. This would be something you would have to ask JSIS or/and PMO. My guess is that after the entry into force of the GDPR data retention periods should be shorter. However, I left one institution in 2017 and rejoined another in 2019. All of my reimbursement claims form 2014 when I started working for the EU were still available. If interest, try to ask the European Data Protection Supevisor. Contacts here
Thank you so much for your insightful feedback!
Much appreciated.
Best regards,
Synead