Warning or suspension from compensation from unemployment benefit (a-kassa)

You may be given a warning if, for example, you do not actively look for a job or omit to report on your job search activities. If this happens repeatedly, you may lose your unemployment benefit for one or more days.

What happens if you do not do what you have to do?

One of Arbetsförmedlingen’s tasks is to inform your unemployment benefit office if something happens that may affect your right to compensation. If you neglect your job-seeking obligations, prolong or cause your unemployment, we will send a notification to your unemployment benefit office. Some examples of neglect are if you have not submitted your activity report to us on time, if you have not taken part in a meeting, or have not actively looked for employment. Your unemployment benefit office will then contact you and you will be given the opportunity to explain what has happened and why.

If your unemployment benefit office does not accept your reasons for being inactive, a decision will be made as to whether or not you are to be given a warning or your unemployment benefit be suspended for one or more days.

If you neglect your job-seeking obligations

If you do not do what we have agreed on, you are neglecting your job-seeking obligations.

Consequently, you may receive a warning or lose your unemployment benefit

To avoid any problems with neglect or misbehaviour, you must:

Draw up a plan together with us
Submit your activity report to us in time
Take part in booked meetings and contact us at booked times
Be available if we have agreed on a time for a telephone meeting
Apply for jobs that we have instructed you to apply for
Be active and apply for several jobs each month, such as advertised positions, contacts you have made with potential employers expressing your interest or sending them your CV, and/or jobs that Arbetsförmedlingen has suggested to you or instructed you to apply for.

This is what happens if you neglect your job-seeking obligations

First time: you receive a warning.
Second time: 1 day without benefit.
Third time: 5 days without benefit.
Fourth time: 10 days without benefit.
Fifth time: Your entitlement to benefit is suspended until you satisfy a new work condition.

If you prolong your period of unemployment

If you decline a job, a work experience placement or other programme or measure, you are prolonging your period of unemployment.

Consequently, you may receive a warning or lose your unemployment benefit

If you

decline a suitable job
willingly prevent employment from being realised
decline a labour-market policy programme.

This is what happens if you prolong your period of unemployment

First time: 5 days without benefit.
Second time: 10 days without benefit.
Third time: 45 days without benefit.
Fourth time: 45 days without benefit.
Fifth time: Your entitlement to benefit is suspended until you satisfy a new work condition.

If you cause your unemployment

If you resign from a job, you cause your unemployment yourself.

Consequently, you may receive a warning or lose your unemployment benefit

If you

resign from a job without a valid reason
cause yourself to be dismissed from a job
leave a labour-market policy programme without an acceptable reason
have behaved in such a way that you have to leave a labour-market policy programme.

This is what happens if you cause your unemployment yourself

First and second time: 45 days without benefit.
Third time: Your entitlement to benefit is suspended until you satisfy a new work condition.

If you knowingly provide false information

The unemployment benefit office can decide to suspend your benefit for a long period. This applies if you knowingly or through gross carelessness provided false or misleading information to the unemployment benefit office and thereby receive more benefit than you are entitled to.

About unemployment benefit

In order for you to have some income while searching for employment, you may apply for unemployment benefit. Below you can read about what conditions apply and how to apply for unemployment benefit.

Unemployment benefit