Photo from Proto Thema
A salaried worker insured with IKA or another eligible insurance fund is entitled to collect unemployment payments from OAED (Organismos Apascholiseos Ergatikou Dynamikou) for a maximum of one (1) year if fired, laid off or otherwise terminated from a job after two consecutive years employment.
Working illegally or as an independent or self-employed consultant/contractor/freelancer with OAEE (TEBE) does not qualify a worker for unemployment benefits, although the labor minister discussed the possibility of extending them to freelancers in April 2012.
Monthly payments commence after a 30- to 60-day waiting period and are determined on the total length of employment and social insurance contributions (ensima). A half payment is given at Easter and summer and a full payment at Christmas, much like a normal salary.
The monthly rate was reduced 22 percent to 359.97 euros on March 12, 2012.
* Article last updated December 26, 2013. There are three revisions pending for this article, with new info for 2014.
Who can collect unemployment payments?
- Greek citizens
- EU citizens
- Non-EU citizens with a valid residence/work permit sticker or card: If your permit sticker/card expires and is not renewed during the year you are eligible to collect, unemployment payments will be cut off. No exceptions.
Eligibility Rules
First filing:
– Employed for the past two (2) years
— Worked at least 80 days per year, but a total of 200 days for the past two (2) years
— Must have worked a total of 125 days in the past 14 months, not including the last 60 days prior to dismissal
Second and subsequent filing(s):
— Must have worked a total of 125 days in the past 14 months, not including the last 60 days prior to dismissal
* Seasonal workers, such as those in tourism, must have 100 days in the last 12 months; other professions need 120 days in the last 14 months.
Age
Age plays a factor, when determining benefits and counting ensima. For example:
— Up to age 49: To collect for a full year, you must have 250 ensima in the last 14 months.
— Aged 49 and over: To collect for a full year, you must have 210 ensima in the last 14 months.
When should I file?
An unemployment claim must be filed at OAED within 60 days of date of dismissal. My recommendation is to start as soon as possible since some employers provide the wrong or insufficient papers, and the former employee is responsible for gathering them. No mercy will be shown if time runs out.
Seasonal employees need to submit papers from October 1 to November 30. Failure to file during the specified period may result in loss of benefits for the year.
Where do I file?
You can file for unemployment at:
a) Any OAED office.
b) Any KEP Citizen Service Centre.
How much do I receive?
The basic unemployment benefit rate is 359.97 euros/month as of March 12, 2012, with 10 percent added for each eligible dependent. It lasts between five to 12 months, depending on length of employment.
Austerity measures from February 2012 reduced private sector salaries by 22 percent but excluded OAED. Eurogroup negotiations on March 1 determined more cuts were necessary to qualify for the next bailout tranche, and a 22 percent reduction would indeed apply to jobless benefits of 461.50 euros/month, set by a collective agreement on July 1, 2011.
In 2010, it was 454.25 euros/month.
The rate is 61 percent of the legal minimum monthly wage, as stated in “Salaries in Greece.”
How do I get paid?
Persons getting unemployment benefits are expected to have or open a bank account at the National Bank of Greece (Ethnikis Trapeza tis Ellados) to receive direct-deposited payments each month. The benefit is paid as long as the claimant continues to appear in person at scheduled intervals and meet eligibility.
If the claimant does not appear at scheduled intervals, OAED can discontinue benefits.
In the past, everyone was issued unemployment checks that needed be stamped each month by several OAED staff — after the specified date each month and before the expiration date — then cashed at a designated National Bank of Greece branch nearby.
Do you need to file a claim?
If you need to know the specific details on how to file an unemployment claim to collect benefit payments, click “How to claim unemployment benefits in Greece.”
Programs
Consult OAED to enroll or find out more information on work and integration programs at: www.ypakp.gr. However, take note that most employers do not participate in these programs because of burdensome bureaucracy and the state’s tendency to delay payments, which is why most companies lay off employees. There are also cases where the employer fires employees after getting the money.
Discounts for the Unemployed
Companies and businesses announced discounts for the unemployed, including PepsiCo (Ivi, Tasty Foods), AB Vassilopoulos, Wind Telephony, Everest, La Pasteria, Olympus Plaza Food Parks, Kotsovolos, Goody’s, Nikas (at Sklavenitis only), Flocafe and Papadopoulos. NEL Lines also offers a 50 percent discount on ferry tickets as of February 1, 2012.
Note that beneficiaries must have an OAED card and some restrictions apply.
Insurance for the Unemployed
Persons unemployed up to three (3) years may extended health insurance coverage by producing 50 ensima (stamps) — instead of 80 — in the past 50 days or anytime in 2011. This measure has been in effect since 2011 and has been extended to March 1, 2013.
Shipyard workers can retain insurance until 2013 with no stamps, and women on maternity leave can continue to retain benefits under existing legislation. — To Vima (in Greek)
In the Future
Greece may implement changes to the unemployment system by 2012 that will take into account a household’s total assets and income before claims are approved, thus disqualifying anyone with property, annual earnings of 6,000 euros or financial support from other sources (spouse, family, etc.). However, the minister now in charge since the recent cabinet reshuffle appears to have backed away from this change.
The system in place now allows anyone meeting eligibility to collect unemployment payments in Greece, regardless of how rich they are.
Sources
All media sources linked above
“Ανάχωµα στην ανεργία” — Ta Nea
“Στους εργοδότες μέρος των επιδομάτων ανεργίας” — Eleftherotypia
“«Φτωχές» οι εκπτώσεις για τους ανέργους του ΟΑΕΔ” — Eleftherotypia
“Χωρίς περιουσιακά και εισοδηματικά κριτήρια το επίδομα ανεργίας” (article removed) — Ta Nea
“Wealthy found collecting Greek unemployment benefits” — Kathimerini
“Eκπτωση 50% σε άνεργους στα πλοία της NEL Lines” — To Vima
“Από τη Δευτέρα ισχύουν οι μειώσεις στο επίδομα ανεργίας” — To Vima
“OAED: Seasonal benefit to start October 1” — Naftemporiki
“Only 1 in 10 jobless receive OAED unemployment benefits” — To Vima
Related posts
“OAED offices in Greece”
“Other types of benefits offered by OAED”
“How to qualify for additional unemployment benefits from OAED”
Updates pending
http://www.diorismos.gr/Dpages/news/viewnews.php?nid=11943
http://www.oaed.gr/images/NEA-ANAKOINWSEIS/ASFALISI/proypotheseis_epidotisis_anergeias_dora_pasxa_xrist.pdf
http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.ellada&id=346213
http://www.tovima.gr/finance/article/?aid=499986
http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.oikonomia&id=346412
http://www.tovima.gr/society/article/?aid=536106
http://www.oaed.gr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=718&Itemid=876&lang=el
http://www.naftemporiki.gr/story/734881
Kat Reply:
August 8th, 2009 at 21:17
Public sector offices work with a skeletal staff during summer, so coming back in September is for your benefit. It’s not because your case specifically is taking longer; it affects the majority and depends on the location, staff, etc. All claims must be approved like any bureaucratic process in Greece; unemployment benefits in Greece are not automatic. However, if you’re approved, payments will be retroactive.