Unemployment Benefit Greece

If you are employed in Greece and your employer has paid IKA contributions (or
another National Insurance such as TAXI etc.) you will be entitled to unemployment
benefit, should you become unemployed, when you have 2 consecutive years of
contributions paid.

Seasonal unemployment benefit can be claimed each year, for a specific period of
time only, after the first two years of (seasonal) contributions have been paid. Many
people with summer employment claim unemployment benefit each winter (or each
summer in the case of English teacher s )

First time Claims
The insured must have at least 80 working days 'stamps' for each year of the last
two years and this must include, in the last 14 months at least 125 working days,
but not including the last 2 months.

Or the insured must have at least 200 days in the last two years, not including the
last two months. E.g. Someone who has worked May to October 2011 and May to
October 2010, with a minimum 100 days 'stamps' for each of those years, is entitled
to umemployment benefit from November 2011 (usually to April/May - i.e. for 5 or 6
months, depending on the number of contributions paid).

Subsequent claims
The insured must have at least 100 working days in the last 12 months

To make a claim go to the 'OAED' (Manpower and Employment Organisation) office
within 60 days of termination of employment , with the following documents:

Tax Return E1 for previous year and a photocopy of this

IKA (or TAXI etc) statement of 'stamps' paid for previous 2 years. N.B. It
is likely you will not yet have received your official paperwork from IKA, or your
other national insurance company, showing the number of days work for the
current year. Your local IKA (or other insurance) office can provide a printed
list.

IKA (or TAXI etc) health book and any dependants health book, plus
photocopies of these

Passport and a photocopy of passport

Residence certificate (EU citizens) and a photocopy of residence certificate

A letters from your employer stating when you finished work - when the
business has closed at the end of season, or when you were laid off (Apolysei
/ Απόλυση)

New 2011 Proof of income payments for the last three months - usually bank
receipts, where your employer has paid your salary directly into your bank
account

A copy of your bank book for a National Bank of Greece (NBG) bank account (of
which you must be the main account holder). If you don't have one you'll need
to open a new account at NBG before applying for benefit.

Your papers will be taken and processed and you will be told when to return to
collect your first payment , usually 5 to 6 weeks later, and thereafter monthly.

Seasonal unemployment benefit is a standard amount for all claimants; in 2011 the
amount is 461.50 Euros per month, with a 10% increase for each dependant child.

Persons who receive unemployment benefit in the United Kingdom and move to
Greece in an effort to find work may continue to receive unemployment benefit in
Greece from the local Manpower and Employment Organisation Office (OAED) for a
period of THREE months. They should produce to their local OAED office (above) form
E303, which is issued by their local Benefit Agency in the United Kingdom. They must
also register themselves at the same OAED office as unemployed within 7 days of
signing off in the U.K. IF THE APPLICANT DOES NOT FIND WORK WITHIN THREE
MONTHS HE/SHE MUST LEAVE THE COUNTRY.

Living in Crete

Unemployment Benefit Greece

Index > Red Tape > Unemployment Benefit Greece

Unemployment Benefit
in Greece & Crete

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This article is based on the book
"Living in Crete. A Guide to Living, working, Retiring & Buying
Property in Crete"
cl ick here to get a copy

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Index > Red Tape > Unemployment Benefit Greece