Combining light entrepreneurship and job search can be a challenge. Perhaps you are afraid that your benefits will stop and you will not be able to make ends meet on the income you have earned from being a light entrepreneur. Or that your work will suddenly stop and you will end up with nothing.
Is this really the case? If you work as a light entrepreneur, do you lose your unemployment benefit? Not necessarily. If you are an unemployed jobseeker and would like to try a small-scale self-employment scheme, the Truster light entrepreneur billing service could be just the solution you have been looking for.
Were youunemployed? Here's what to do first
Be the first to register as an unemployed jobseeker with the TE Office. If you have previously been either in paid employment, self-employed or a light entrepreneur, the TE Office will assess what form of work they think you have done. They will then tell you whether you should apply for unemployment benefit as an employee or as an entrepreneur.
What does unemployment benefit cover?
A light entrepreneur working without a business ID is not officially self-employed, but both are pretty much on the same page when it comes to unemployment benefit.
Unemployed jobseekers receive basic daily allowance paid by Kela and earnings-related daily allowance paid by unemployment funds. You can get these if you have worked for at least six months in the previous 28 months. This is known as a condition of employment.
Contrary to what is often thought, not only employees but also self-employed persons or light entrepreneurs can be members of the unemployment fund. Yes, it's worth it! If you are a member of an unemployment fund, you will receive income-related benefits on top of your basic daily allowance. The earnings-related allowance depends on the salary you have received in the past.
If you have received basic daily allowance and earnings-related allowance for 400 days and have not yet found a suitable full-time job, you can still apply for labour market subsidy from Kela. You can also apply for this if you do not meet the employment condition.
Are you an unemployed jobseeker and interested in light entrepreneurship?
Take the plunge and try light entrepreneurship through Truster! During the first four months of unemployment, you can work as much as you want as a light entrepreneur. Even after four months, you can still work part-time as a light entrepreneur and remain an unemployed jobseeker. However, your income may reduce the amount of unemployment benefit you receive. In that case, you will be entitled to an adjusted unemployment allowance.
If you have been in paid work in the past and now want to try a little light self-employment while you are unemployed, go for it! You're likely to get income support from income support and there's no pressure to succeed as a light entrepreneur.
What about a full-time light entrepreneur?
Remember that the TE Office decides whether it considers your light entrepreneurship to be a full-time or part-time job. If, after four months, the TE Office considers that you are a full-time light entrepreneur and could not take up a full-time job alongside it, you are no longer an unemployed jobseeker and will no longer even receive adjusted unemployment benefit. The decisive factor is how much time you spend working. Not how much income you have.
So if you are unemployed, is it worth becoming a light entrepreneur?
Absolutely! Since the TE Office does not assess your main or secondary activity during the first four months, it is easy to try out light entrepreneurship. And even if your income is cut a little because of your income as a light entrepreneur, is that a disaster? You've managed to employ yourself, albeit on a small scale, but still. Perhaps a small business could become something bigger, even a new livelihood and way of life?