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Unemployment benefits in Greece

In what situation can I claim?

Unemployed persons in Greece are mainly aided through unemployment benefit.

Unemployment benefit (Επίδομα Ανεργίας): this benefit is granted by the Labour Employment Office (OAED) to employees over 16 years of age with unemployment insurance, who were dismissed or whose employment contracts expired, are registered with an employment office and are both willing and capable of working.
Seasonal aid (Ειδικό Εποχικό Επίδομα): certain professional activities cannot be exercised throughout the year. For employees coming under the professional categories that are "seasonal" in nature, a special seasonal aid has been established and is paid by the Labour Employment Office (OAED) in the period during which they cannot exercise their professional activity.

Seasonal employees must be insured with the Unified Social Security Fund (EFKA) (former IKA-ETAM) and must provide their services in Greece. Mainly employees in the construction sector, salaried employees in the tourism and food sectors, as well as certain categories of salaried employees in artistic professions are entitled to seasonal aid.

The same aid is also provided to salaried shipyard employees, provided they are insured with EFKA (former IKA-ETAM) and provide their services to undertakings which are registered in Greece and operate in one or more European Union member states.

For information on the Special Seasonal Allowance visit the OAED website.

Long-term unemployment benefit (Επίδομα Μακροχρονίως Ανέργων): for information on the long-term unemployment benefit please visit the OAED website.
Special allowance after a three month waiting period in the Jobseekers’ Registry (Ειδικό βοήθημα μετά από τρίμηνη παραμονή στο Μητρώο Ανέργων): if a claimant of the unemployment benefit does not meet the conditions and provided that he/she stays registered as unemployed for a period of 3 months, then he/she is granted the allowance.
Special allowance after the receipt of unemployment benefit (Ειδικό βοήθημα μετά τη λήξη της επιδότησης λόγω ανεργίας): when the unemployment benefit expires and provided that the claimant remains unemployed for the next month, then he/she is granted the allowance (lump sum).

What conditions do I need to meet?

Unemployment benefit: in order to be entitled to this benefit, you are required to have worked for a period of at least 125 days during the 14 months prior to the termination of your employment or for a period of at least 200 days within the 2 years prior to the termination of your employment.

If you are receiving the benefit for the first time, you will be required to have paid contributions corresponding to 80 insurance days for every year in the two years preceding your benefit. However, in the last 14 months you are required to have completed 125 working days, without taking into account the last two months.

Unemployed persons over the age of 49 can receive an unemployment benefit for 12 months, provided they have worked for 210 days within the 14 months preceding the termination of employment.

Special Seasonal Allowance: this benefit is paid in a lump sum on an annual basis and its amount depends on the professional field to which the beneficiary belongs. In order to receive the seasonal aid, you must prove that you have accumulated at least 50 to 240 insurance days in your sector and no more than 240 daily wages in the calendar year preceding the year of payment of the aid. Special regulations apply to construction workers.

If you have worked in other sectors, you can receive the seasonal aid provided that you did not accumulate more daily wages in other sectors than in the sector of your seasonal job during the previous year.

With the exception of employees in the construction sector, other categories are not entitled to the special seasonal aid if they meet the criteria for the regular benefit (unemployment benefit).

Long-term unemployment benefit: for information on the long-term unemployment benefit please visit the OAED website at https://www.oaed.gr.
Special allowance after a three month waiting period in the Jobseekers’ Registry: you must have completed at least 60 days of work in the calendar year preceding the beginning of the three months period. You should not be subject to the categories refereed to art. 22 of Law 1836/89 (construction workers, musicians, actors, stone cutters, etc.) and your family net income should not be higher than EUR 10,858.40 (this amount is increased by EUR 293.47 each calendar year).
Special allowance after the receipt of unemployment benefit: you has received the unemployment benefit and it expired. You should not be subject to the categories refereed to art. 22 of Law 1836/89 (construction workers, musicians, actors, stone cutters, etc.) and your family net income should not be higher than EUR 10,271.46 (this amount is increased by EUR 293.47 each calendar year).

All benefits are subject to tax in cases where the annual personal income amounts to over EUR 30,000.

What am I entitled to and how can I claim?

Unemployment benefit: the basic monthly benefit amounts to EUR 360, which increases by 10% for every member of the family.

The duration of the benefit depends on the number of days of employment the insured person has covered in the above-mentioned crucial periods (14 months, 12 months or 2 years), as presented in the website of the Labour Employment Office (OAED).

In order to receive the unemployment benefit, you must register with the local Labour Employment Office (OAED) and fill an application for the benefits within 60 days from the day you became unemployed. The unemployment benefit is discontinued if the beneficiary does not respond positively to job or vocational training offers three times.

Seasonal aid: the seasonal aid is paid in a lump sum once a year. The amount depends on the social and professional class of the beneficiary.
Long-term unemployment benefit: for information on the long-term unemployment benefit please visit the OAED website at www.oaed.gr.
Special allowance after a three month waiting period in the Jobseekers’ Registry: Lump-sum of 15 daily unemployment benefits (15* 14.40= EUR 216)
Special allowance after the receipt of unemployment benefit: Lump-sum of 13 daily unemployment benefits (13 * 14.40 = EUR 187.20)