Can I claim unemployment benefit?
Yes, if you have the insurance record. You qualify if you paid into the unemployment fund for at least 12 months in the last 18 months before losing your job. The daily benefit is 60% of your average daily insurable income over the last 24 months. There is a minimum and maximum daily amount, set each year in the State Budget Act — the ceiling genuinely limits higher earners. Note for 2026: because no state budget was adopted, the 2025 budget continues to apply until 31 March 2026, so the exact amounts are not yet final. If you resigned of your own accord or left by mutual consent, you get the minimum for 4 months. Registering with the Employment Agency is a condition of payment.
📋 The rules
- You need 12 months of unemployment insurance in the last 18
- Amount: 60% of insurable income over 24 months
- A minimum and maximum daily amount — set in the state budget
- Resigning voluntarily: the minimum amount for 4 months
- The duration depends on your insurance record
🔓 Exceptions
- Resigning voluntarily or by mutual consent — the minimum amount for 4 months
- Registering with the Employment Agency is a condition of payment
- For 2026 the amounts depend on the state budget being adopted
⚠️ Penalties & fines
There is no fine, but benefit wrongly received must be repaid with interest. If you fail to register with the Employment Agency in time, or fail to declare that you have started work, you lose the entitlement and risk having to repay what you received. Concealing income or a new job can also bring criminal liability.
📎 Official sources
❓ Frequently asked
What record do I need to qualify?
At least 12 months of contributions to the unemployment fund during the 18 months before you became unemployed. Without that record there is no entitlement to a cash benefit.
How much is the benefit?
60% of your average daily insurable income over the last 24 months, within a minimum and maximum daily amount set annually in the state budget. The ceiling genuinely limits higher earners.
What if I resign voluntarily?
You receive the minimum amount, and only for 4 months, rather than the full period based on your record. The same applies to termination by mutual consent.
Do I have to register with the Employment Agency?
Yes. Registration is a condition for the benefit being granted and paid. Missing the registration deadline can cost you part of the benefit.
What are the 2026 amounts?
They depend on the state budget being adopted. As no budget was passed, the 2025 budget continues to apply until 31 March 2026, so the minimum and maximum amounts are not yet final.
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