Työttömiä

Työttömiä is the Finnish plural form of työtön, meaning unemployed person. In everyday Finnish, työttömät or työttömiä refers to people who do not have paid work and who are available for work. In official statistics, unemployment is described in several ways, including those registered as unemployed with the public employment service (TE-toimisto) and broader measures used by Statistics Finland. The term työttömiä emphasizes the social category of people currently without employment, regardless of the specific reason for joblessness.

Measurement and groups

Unemployment rate is the share of the labor force that is without work and actively seeking it. The labor force includes employed and unemployed individuals; those not seeking work, such as full-time students or retirees, are outside the labor force. The työttömiä category covers short-term and long-term unemployment, as well as youth unemployment and people experiencing cyclical downturns. Some people may be counted as unemployed in official statistics but are partially employed or engaged in training.

Policy and support

Unemployment benefits are provided under Finnish social security legislation. Eligible jobseekers may receive peruspäiväraha (basic unemployment allowance) or ansiopäiväraha (earnings-related allowance). Long-term unemployed may be eligible for rehabilitation benefits. The public employment service TE-toimisto coordinates job-search assistance, training, apprenticeships, and wage subsidies for employers. Active labor market policies aim to help työttömiä return to work through education, work trials, and subsidized employment.

Impact and context

Unemployment affects living standards, regional development, and social inclusion. Policy debates focus on the balance between income support and incentives to work, the effectiveness of active measures, and strategies to prevent long-term skill erosion. Regional differences and youth unemployment remain priority concerns for Finnish labor market policy.