Social Security - Unemployment Benefits

Ordinary unemployment benefit

Paid by INPS to people who have lost their jobs due to dismissal. Persons who have worked for Government bodies are excluded (State, Region, Province, Municipalities, Public Hospitals etc.).

Requirements: The benefit is paid to workers who have been insured for at least two years against involuntary unemployment and who have been fired or dismissed for just cause. A worker must have accrued at least two years of insurance to claim for involuntary unemployment.

Benefit duration and amount: 7 months for workers with registered age under 50 and 10 months for workers with registered age greater than or equal to 50. Workers under 50: fixed at 50% for the first six months and 40% for the seventh month; workers aged 50 and over: set at 50% for the first six months, 40% for the next three months and 30% for the tenth month. The benefit is payable monthly by INPS by means of a cheque and in any case within the limits of a gross monthly maximum that is set at EUR 830.77 for 2006, rising to EUR 998.50 for workers who can claim a gross monthly wage greater than EUR 1797.31.

Unemployment benefit with reduced requirements

Requirements: the worker must have been employed for a total of at least 78 days with at least one weekly contribution before the two year period prior to application. The application is submitted to INPS from 1 January to 31 March on the year after the year for which the benefit is applied for. It is paid for a number of days equivalent to those effectively worked and for up to 156 days.

Text last edited on: 02/2007

Source: European Union
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