kela.fi (21.12.2020) Several temporary changes made to the unemployment benefit laws have been extended until the end of March 2021. Self-employed persons will remain eligible for labour market subsidy payments until 31 March 2021 if their business has suffered due to the coronavirus epidemic. Higher exempt amounts of EUR 500 and EUR 465 will remain in force until the end of March 2021. Exceptions made to the rules on waiting periods, work requirements and maximum length of payment will expire at the end of 2020.

Finnish Centre for Pensions (02.04.2020) The European Commission has published instructions regarding the mobility of workers in EU during the exceptional circumstances caused by the corona epidemic. The Commission states that the regulations on the coordination of social security systems continue to be valid. The temporary exceptional circumstances do not change the social security status of mobile workers. The instructions by the Commission are indicative and they do not, in individual cases, bind the authorities in the Member States.

Finland launches its AuroraAI National Artificial Intelligence program. AuroraAI will be fully available in 2022. By Susan Fourtané July 09, 2020

The promise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a concept taken from science fiction. Businesses around the world are taking advantage of AI and automation, moving the enterprise right at the center of digital business transformation.

Implementation of the national AuroraAI programme The aim of the Aurora national artificial intelligence (AI) programme is to implement an operations model based on people’s needs, where artificial intelligence helps citizens and companies to utilise services in a timely and ethically sustainable manner. The activities of the relevant authorities will be organised in such a way that they support people’s life-events and companies’ business-related events, facilitating seamless, effective and smoothly functioning service paths consisting of the services of several service providers.

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (11.06.2020) The commuting and relocation allowance will be temporarily available to persons who work full-time and whose daily commute at the start of employment takes at least two hours instead of the three hours currently required. The allowance can also be paid to persons who move because of a job a distance comparable to the daily commuting requirement. 

Ministry of Social Affairs and Health (11.06.2020) The exempt amount of the unemployment benefit will be temporarily raised from the current EUR 300 to EUR 500 per month (i.e., from EUR 279 to EUR 465 per four calendar weeks). The exempt amount means the amount unemployed jobseekers can earn without an effect on their unemployment benefit.