f you fall ill and are unable to work, you can apply for sickness allowance from Kela as a self-employed person. When you work through Omapaja as a light entrepreneur, you are not in an employment relationship with Omapaja, so sickness-related income support is primarily applied for through Kela.

Sickness allowance compensates for loss of income when you are unable to work due to illness. Self-employed persons can also receive sickness allowance even if their income is so low that they are not required to take out YEL insurance.

What is the amount based on?

The amount of sickness allowance is based on your annual income. If you have a valid YEL insurance policy, Kela calculates the allowance based on your confirmed YEL income. This means that your YEL income affects the level of financial security you have if you become ill.

Read more from Omapaja: About YEL insurance

How do I apply?

Apply for sickness allowance from Kela within 2 months of becoming unable to work. The easiest way to apply is through OmaKela. You will usually need to attach a medical certificate A or a medical statement B to your application.

Apply here: OmaKela
Read Kela’s instructions: Sickness allowance
For self-employed persons: When a self-employed person gets ill

What about the waiting period?

Sickness allowance usually has a waiting period: the first day of illness and the following 9 working days. If you have a valid YEL insurance policy when you become unfit for work, you may have the right to YEL allowance for the waiting period before Kela’s sickness allowance starts. The waiting period for YEL allowance is the first day of illness.

If you can work part-time

If you cannot work full-time but could work part-time, you can check whether you may be eligible for partial sickness allowance. Partial sickness allowance can support a gradual return to work.

Where can I get compensation if im ill