The Unemployment Fund for Higher Education Employees Erko and the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science are forming a joint unemployment fund. In their April meetings, the funds’ boards decided to propose a merger. The new fund, Unemployment Fund Ote, will begin operations at the start of next year and will be the fourth largest unemployment fund in Finland. The merger will be decided in the fund meetings of Erko and the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science on 20 May 2025.

The new unemployment fund will be formed by merging the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko into the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science as of 1 January 2026. The proposed name for the new fund is Unemployment Fund Ote.

“Unemployment Fund Ote is being created to better meet the needs of highly educated members. The goal of the merger is to offer them the best possible service and security through all the twists and turns of working life,” says Jenni Korkeaoja, Head of the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science.

Upon its establishment, the new fund will be the fourth largest unemployment fund in Finland in terms of membership. “A larger fund will be able to develop automation and digital services more efficiently than before,” notes Eero T. Anttila, Head of the Unemployment Fund Erko. Unemployment Fund Ote will have approximately 196,000 members.

The establishment of Unemployment Fund Ote will be confirmed in May, when the founding funds hold their respective meetings to decide on the merger. At the same time, the name and rules of the new fund will be ratified.

Unemployment Fund Ote will be a multidisciplinary fund open to salaried employees with higher education. It will be responsible for paying its members earnings-related unemployment benefits. The fund will cooperate with 19 trade unions and background organizations.

The creation of the new fund does not require any action from the current members of the Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko or the Unemployment Fund for Education and Science, and it will not result in any changes to their unemployment security or benefit payments.

More information:
Jenni Korkeaoja, Head of Unemployment Fund for Education and Science,
tel. +358 40 846 7511
Eero T. Anttila, Head of Unemployment Fund for Higher Educated Employees Erko,
tel. +358 40 575 1180