Whether you are eligible for unemployment benefit depends on a number of conditions. The conditions for unemployment benefit are as follows:
- You must be insured for unemployment. This is usually the case if you are working as an employee and have not yet reached the official state pension age;
- You lose at least 5 hours per week or, if you worked less than 10 hours per week, at least half of your number of hours per calendar week;
- You must be available immediately for paid work;
- You cannot be blamed for your unemployment (example: you have been fired due to reorganization or your fixed-term contract is not renewed);
- You must meet the week requirement (you worked at least 36 weeks in the 26 weeks before you became unemployed).
The first point is often the case if you are employed. But you are not always insured for unemployment. As an employee you are not insured if you, among other things:
- Are on unpaid leave;
- You are self-employed;
- You have reached the state pension age;
- Work less than 4 days a week in the same private household.