| Representation
of the interests of doctoral students
During the academic year 2007-08, the interests
of doctoral students were the subject of what at times was heated
debate. The debate led to the establishment of this part of the
website providing useful information and links to help doctoral
students in their everyday efforts to cope with the challenges related
to professional interests and livelihood. The site has been compiled
by representatives of Langnet students and is maintained by the
Langnet Secretary, Meri Korhonen.
Current issues
Useful links
Postgraduate student associations
Current issues
Researchers’ unemployment
benefits – new instructions from the Ministry of Employment
and the Economy
So far, researchers and artists have often fallen through the net
when it comes to unemployment security. For example, writers of
doctoral dissertations who have been working with the support of
grants have not necessarily been eligible for unemployment allowance,
as they have been considered to be self-employed. However, the Ministry
of Employment and the Economy has recently issued new
instructions for the application of the provisions of
the Unemployment Security Act. These new instructions
will also help Langnet students in matters related to unemployment
security. Below is a brief survey of the essential changes; the
information is based on a Communication
by the Ministry of Employment and the Economy
and on the presentation given by Jouni Rostila (University of Tampere,
second-year Langnet student) at the Finnish Conference of Linguistics
in 2008.
At the beginning of a period of unemployment, the applicant need
only notify the authorities of the commencement of unemployment
and need not, for example, give up his or her office as an indication
of unemployment. The end of a grant period is interpreted as the
beginning of unemployment; correspondingly, the submission of the
doctoral dissertation for preliminary examination is considered
as the equivalent of termination of employment. The submission of
grant applications is considered to be equal to job seeking and
no longer regarded as research work. The publication of articles
completed before registering as a job seeker does not render the
researcher ineligible for unemployment security. Furthermore, doctoral
student positions are considered to be fixed-term appointments.
For more information in Finnish, see the journal Acatiimi,
vol. 4/08.
Change security re-employment
programme
Laid-off and fixed-term employees are entitled to enter a ‘change
security scheme’, the purpose of which is to support the job
seeker in finding new employment as speedily as possible. The scheme
applies to fixed-term employees who have been employed by the same
employer for a minimum of 36 months in the previous 42 months. The
majority of Langnet students funded by the Ministry of Education
fall into this category. The benefits include a personal re-employment
programme, an increased unemployment allowance as well as increased
services by the employment offices. Should you be laid off, during
the notice period you are entitled to a period of paid re-employment
leave. Further information is available on the website
of the Ministry of Employment and the Economy.
Earnings-related
unemployment allowance
Doctoral students, who wish to receive earnings-related unemployment
allowance, should check their union’s minimum requirements
for eligibility for these allowances before their present grant
period comes to an end. In general, earnings-related unemployment
allowance is paid to applicants who have been contributors to the
unemployment fund for 10 months and who have been employed for a
minimum of 43 weeks during the last 24 months, in other words, who
fulfil the “employment
condition” (see the website of the Federation
of Unemployment Funds in Finland). Note that the employment condition
will not be fulfilled if you have been on an extended sick leave
or on family leave; however, the 24-month monitoring period can
be extended. Further information is available also from the Finnish
Union of University Researchers and Teachers.
It is also worth checking whether recipients of earnings-related
unemployment allowance are eligible for housing benefit.
Survey: Early careers of doctoral
graduates and the significance of doctoral education in the labour
market
A recently published report
compiled by Arja Haapakorpi on the employment of doctoral graduates
from 2004 to 2005.
Work-related travel for which
no per diem allowance is provided
Even if tax returns for this year have already been submitted, it
is good to bear in mind which expenses are tax deductible. For example,
if you have not received per diem allowances for travel, you should
list these expenses in your tax return as costs
for acquiring income. Further information in Finnish
can be found in the journal Acatiimi, in the section "Työmatkat
ilman päivärahaa".
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