You will receive a rehabilitation benefit when your rehabilitation programme has started
The commencement of your rehabilitation programme is a condition for being paid the rehabilitation allowance. During the planning of your vocational rehabilitation, your income is, depending on your situation, e.g. your salary, sickness allowance, unemployment benefits or the cash rehabilitation benefit. Remember to inform Kela or your unemployment fund of the start of any rehabilitation benefit in order to avoid any payment recovery later on.
Payment of a rehabilitation benefit
We will pay the rehabilitation allowance or a rehabilitation benefit to your account after
- we have approved your proposed rehabilitation plan
- the approved rehabilitation plan, e.g. work trial or education, has been started
- you have received a separate decision from us on the payment of the rehabilitation allowance or the rehabilitation increase
The first payment of rehabilitation benefit can also be paid on a date other than the first day of the month if the rehabilitation programme begins mid-month. After that the rehabilitation benefit will be paid into your bank account on the first banking day of the month.
You can check the payment dates for rehabilitation benefits here
Sometimes, the employer with whom you are doing a work trial or job coaching will pay you a salary during your rehabilitation programme. In this case, the rehabilitation benefit will be paid to the employer. The salary that is paid corresponds to full-time work, even if you only work part time. Salary is also your source of income if you are doing an apprenticeship, in which case the employer will also claim the rehabilitation allowance from Varma.
You can work during your rehabilitation, taking your earnings limit into account. For employees with a secondary occupation, their salary is taken into account as income, and for entrepreneurs with a secondary occupation, their YEL or MYEL confirmed income is taken into account as income. Your work must not interfere with your rehabilitation programme. Make sure that your earnings remain within the permitted limits. Check your earnings limit in our online services.