Unemployment Funds pay commuting and relocation allowance to their members that are eligible for earnings-related daily allowance to encourage them to accept job offers even from further away. You can apply for commuting and relocation allowance if, while unemployed, you accept a full-time job that lasts at least 2 months and has a daily commute of over 3 hours on average or if you accept a part-time job with a daily commute of over 2 hours on average. You can also apply for commuting and relocation allowance if you participate in training related to a job like this before the job itself begins.
You can use the commuting and relocation allowance as you wish to compensate for commuting and moving expenses caused because you accepted the job. Commuting and relocation allowance is not for compensating expenses related to searching for a job like travel or accommodation expenses from going to a job interview. You can apply for compensation for expenses like this through the TE Office. Please contact the TE Office for information.
The requirements for granting commuting and relocation allowance
Commuting and relocation allowance can be granted if:
- you are eligible for earnings-related daily allowance right before your job or training related to a job begins
- you accept a job within an employment relationship that lasts at least 2 months or you begin training related to an employment relationship that lasts over 2 months
- your daily commute (round trip) is over 3 hours for a full-time job or over 2 hours for a part-time job at the time your job or training for the said job begins (or in case you are moving because of the job; when you made the agreement about the job).
In the context of commuting and relocation allowance, the limit for a full-time job is 80 % of the working time of a full-time employee.
The duration of your commute is calculated based on how long it takes you to get from your home address to your place of work using the fastest mode of transportation. If you have a car, the commute is generally determined based on the average driving time. When using public transportation, transfers (including waiting times) are acknowledged in the calculation of the duration of the commute. Deviation from the fastest route, such as taking kids to day care, is not included in the commute time.
Apply for commuting and relocation allowance retroactively within 3 months of the start of your job or training for a job.