Rehabilitation for the self-employed

Self-employed: has your work ability weakened, making it harder to continue your work and self-employment activities? Vocational rehabilitation may help you find solutions that support your work ability and assist you in building a sustainable future as a self‑employed person.

Support for the self-employed

Varma’s vocational rehabilitation helps you continue in working life or return to work despite your illness. We can use vocational rehabilitation to support the adjustment of your self employment to better match your work ability, your transfer to the service of an employer, or even to establish a new business.

Planning vocational rehabilitation starts immediately after you receive Varma’s preliminary decision on vocational rehabilitation. Take a look at the conditions for vocational rehabilitation and instructions for applying.

During the rehabilitation programme, Varma pays you rehabilitation allowance as income.

Estimate your rehabilitation allowance in the Varma Online Service. 

Rehabilitation options for the self-employed

The means of vocational rehabilitation for the self-employed are essentially the same as for employees. The options are a work trial, job coaching and retraining. In addition, entrepreneurs have access to work trials or job coaching in their own company, in addition to business subsidies.

If you start new self-employment activities with Varma’s support, you should take out new YEL insurance immediately from the start of your activities. As a self-employed person, your social security is based on income under your YEL insurance.

Learn more about the options

Returning to work after a long absence due to illness can require some adjustments and flexibility. A work trial for the self-employed allows for a soft return to work. Daily working hours are between four and eight hours.

A work trial can last from three to six months. We can support a work trial for the self-employed also in cases where the person’s self-employment activities are just beginning.

Job coaching supports you in starting new  self-employment activities or developing your current  self-employment activities. The contents and duration of the coaching are planned individually based on your situation, and it generally consists of on-the-job learning and further education.

A business subsidy can be granted for the purpose of establishing a company or for changing  self-employment activities. The subsidy can be used, for instance, to purchase aids to help you perform your work or to acquire new tools. The subsidy is based on a needs assessment, and it must be accompanied by other forms of financing.

Rehabilitation partner’s support for rehabilitation planning

When you have received a preliminary vocational rehabilitation decision and need help in drawing up a plan for returning to work, contact your rehabilitation specialist. Varma can also provide you with guidance services offered by our rehabilitation partner. A personal coach can help you find options for returning to work that suit your work ability and draw up a rehabilitation plan.

Help with using our services

Help with using our services

In our online service, you can, for instance

  • apply for vocational rehabilitation and send attachments
  • draw up and send a rehabilitation plan
  • claim compensation for commuting expenses during a work trial or education period
  • check your earnings limit
  • send a message to your rehabilitation specialist
Log in to Varma Online Service

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