Entrepreneur’s Illness and Sickness Allowance
Illness can strike unexpectedly. In such cases, Kela’s sickness allowance secures your daily income. The amount you receive depends on your YEL income.
With our YEL calculator, you can estimate how your YEL income affects sickness allowance and other benefits.
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Entrepreneur’s Sickness Allowance and YEL
Illness lasting up to 10 working days
If you fall ill for a short period, you will receive YEL sickness allowance from Kela. It is based solely on your YEL income, and other earnings are not considered. Your YEL insurance must be valid on the day you become ill to qualify for YEL sickness allowance.
Long-term illness
If your illness lasts longer than 10 working days, you can receive sickness allowance after the YEL allowance. If you can work part-time, you may apply for partial sickness allowance, which is half of the full sickness allowance. The amount is calculated based on your YEL income.
How is the sickness allowance calculated?
The allowance is based on your annual income. For entrepreneurs, this means YEL income. Annual income is calculated from the 12 calendar months preceding the month before the allowance starts.
If your income has changed during the past 12 months, Kela uses an average. If you also have salary income outside your business, it is considered in addition to YEL income.
You can use our YEL calculator to see how your YEL income affects sickness allowance and other benefits.
Important about YEL insurance
YEL insurance cannot be paused for short illnesses, but it can be terminated during a long sick leave.
Sickness Allowance and How to Apply
When you fall ill, your income is secured by Kela’s sickness allowance.
Sickness allowance compensates for loss of earnings during incapacity for work lasting less than one year. It is paid for a maximum of 300 working days.
Partial sickness allowance helps a person with reduced work ability stay in working life and return to full-time work. It is paid for a maximum of 150 working days.
You must apply for sickness allowance from Kela within 2 months of the start of your incapacity for work.
What to do if you get sick
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Get a certificate of incapacity for work
- Contact healthcare immediately when you fall ill and request a certificate confirming your incapacity for work.
- For YEL daily allowance, you need a certificate issued by a nurse or public health nurse.
- If you apply for sickness allowance for the period after 10 working days (i.e., after the YEL daily allowance), you need a doctor’s certificate. Request an A certificate if you apply for allowance for up to 60 days. For applications covering more than 60 days, you need a more detailed B medical statement.
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Other protection for entrepreneurs in case of illness: disability pension and vocational rehabilitation
Kela pays sickness allowance for up to 300 days. If your incapacity for work continues, you can apply for a disability pension.
Disability pension or rehabilitation subsidy is typically applied for after a long sick leave, most often following the sickness allowance period granted by Kela.
Partial disability pension and partial rehabilitation subsidy are usually applied for after Kela’s partial sickness allowance period.
Read more about disability pension
Elo’s vocational rehabilitation can support you if, due to illness or injury, you are unable to manage your work tasks and are at risk of disability, or if you are returning to work from a fixed-term disability pension (rehabilitation allowance).
Information about rehabilitation for entrepreneurs