Amount of unemployment benefit by type of notice

Quick overview

• You will receive 80% of your net salary for the first 2 months, 50% for the next 2 months and 40% thereafter.

• Now the reason for termination no longer matters.

• The allowance is paid for 5 to 11 months, depending on your age at the time of application.

If you are unsure whether reduced support applies to you, we can assess your situation in an online legal consultation. Contact us.

What types of terminations are there?

Before we dive into the details of how unemployment benefits work, let’s first clarify what types of terminations actually exist.

• Termination by the employee – That is, one where the employee decides to leave the job and gives notice themselves.
• Termination by the employer – This is mainly when the employer terminates the employment relationship for reasons such as reorganisation or redundancy.
• Termination agreement – In this case, both parties agree to end the employment relationship, and the agreement can be for different reasons. Often this is where the employee and the employer have not reached an agreement and termination is the only possible solution.
• Immediate termination of employment – Immediate termination of employment, or what is known as an hourly notice, occurs for serious reasons, such as the employee’s health, or the employer’s failure to perform job duties or violation of a regulation.

The amount of support no longer depends on the type of notice

Whereas previously the maximum amount of support in the first two months was 65% of the previous average net earnings, after the amendment to the Employment Act it will now be 80%. This is the most financially demanding period for most people. In the following months, the support is gradually reduced – first to 50% and then to 40% of the previous salary.

This model is intended to encourage active job-seeking, but at the same time not to plunge people into existential problems as soon as they lose their jobs.

If the employer gave notice, the unemployment benefit was 65 % of average net earnings for the first two months (then 50 % and 45 %), whereas if the employer gave notice or agreed to a settlement without serious reason, it was reduced to 45 % for the whole of the support period. The difference could thus be as much as 20 percentage points at the start of the registration period.

This approach was based on the assumption that voluntary departure from work was an expression of personal choice and therefore did not deserve the same level of protection. In practice, however, it has often led to unfair consequences – for example, in situations where an employee has left a long-term unsatisfactory or psychologically taxing job without meeting a narrow set of so-called serious grounds.

From 2026, this distinction is abolished. Unemployment benefits will now be granted at the same rate regardless of the way in which the employment relationship was terminated. Only the age of the claimant and the fulfilment of the statutory conditions for participation in the insurance will remain decisive criteria.

If you are not sure what level of benefit you are entitled to in your case, please contact us for advice within 48 hours.

When does unemployment benefit not arise at all?

It is important to know that there are situations when a jobseeker is not entitled to unemployment benefit at all, regardless of the period of insurance coverage.

In particular, according to the Employment Act, there is no entitlement if the employment relationship was terminated by the employer in the last 6 months prior to the inclusion in the register of jobseekers for a particularly serious breach of the legal obligations arising from the work performed.

Typically, this is a situation where the employee has been summarily dismissed or terminated for a particularly serious breach of employment obligations.

In addition, a person who is in receipt of an old-age pension on the date of the award of the allowance is not entitled. Unemployment benefit is intended to bridge a period of unemployment, not to supplement an old-age pension.

The Employment Act also provides for other barriers to entitlement, for example if the applicant is in certain legal positions or engages in activities that prevent keeping a register of jobseekers.

Therefore, if the employment relationship has ended due to a serious breach of obligations or if one of the above-mentioned legal obstacles occurs, unemployment benefit is not payable at all.

Summary

As you can see, the way the employment relationship is terminated significantly affects the amount of unemployment benefit the claimant receives. If you are considering giving notice without having already secured another job, we always recommend that you consider the reasons for termination as they will have an impact on the amount of unemployment benefit you will receive. If your situation permits, consider consulting with our lawyer before resigning to help you find the best solution.