Applying for rehabilitation
Right to vocational rehabilitation
Elo can support your vocational rehabilitation if all the following points are met:
- You have not yet reached your lowest pensionable age and
- You are facing the threat of having to retire on pension disability in the near future and
- Your earned income from the preceding 5 calendar years totals a minimum of EUR 39 157,84 (in 2023) and
- You have earnings for the previous 36 months or during that time you were not gainfully employed due to caring for a child under 3 years or an adopted child over 3 years and
- You are not entitled to vocational rehabilitation granted on the basis of an injury or traffic accident.
Handle your rehabilitation matters online
Elo’s Online Service enables you to:
- Get an estimate of the rehabilitation allowance
- Apply for rehabilitation
- Submit a rehabilitation plan
- Apply for travel reimbursements
- Submit attachments and files to Elo
- Give feedback on the rehabilitation procedure once it has ended.
Steps of the rehabilitation application process
Get an estimate of your rehabilitation allowance
Before you apply for rehabilitation, find out how much of a rehabilitation allowance you might get. This will give you an idea of your livelihood during a possible rehabilitation period.
If you are receiving a disability pension, the estimate of your rehabilitation allowance cannot be calculated. In this case, your pension will be increased by +33% during the rehabilitation period.
Apply for rehabilitation
Fill in the application for vocational rehabilitation in our Online Service. As an attachment, send an up-to-date medical statement B written within the past 6 months. If you have already drafted a rehabilitation plan, submit your plan with your application.
Before applying for vocational rehabilitation, discuss the issue with your own doctor. Discuss with your doctor what rehabilitation method might be suitable for your situation and current health status.
If we do not receive a medical statement B within two weeks of receiving your application, we cannot process your application. Please note that we will not process your medical statement B without an application.
Wait for the decision
Elo will provide you with a decision regarding your right to vocational rehabilitation. Elo’s decision confirming your right to vocational rehabilitation is valid for 10 months, during which you will be required to draft a rehabilitation plan.
What happens after I apply for rehabilitation?
Positive decision confirming your right to vocational rehabilitation
Read more about the rehabilitation plan >
Alternatives after a negative rehabilitation decision
- Work arrangements at your workplace. You can contact your occupational health care service and your supervisor. You can find out if you have the right to a work trial based on the Occupational Health Care Act.
- Rehabilitation available from Kela. You can contact Kela to look into rehabilitation options.
- Studying on adult education allowance. You can contact the Employment Fund.
- Study or work trial subsidised with an unemployment benefit. You can contact the TE Office.
- TE services' career choice and career guidance services. You can contact the TE Office.
- Appealing against a decision. Your decision is accompanied by instructions for appeal, informing you of how you can appeal against the decision.