Greece - Unemployment insurance benefits and unemployment assistance benefits
This chapter explains all you need to know about the benefits to which unemployed persons are entitled in Greece. Any salaried employee who is insured is covered by unemployment insurance.
However, you must meet certain requirements in order to receive unemployment insurance benefits and/or unemployment assistance benefits. If necessary, insurance periods in other European Union member states can also be counted in. This also applies to persons falling within the scope of the Withdrawal Agreement concluded between the United Kingdom and the European Union.
Below you will find information on the following benefits:
- unemployment benefit (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΑΝΕΡΓΊΑΣ)
- special seasonal allowance (ΕΙΔΙΚΌ ΕΠΟΧΙΚΌ ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ)
- long-term unemployment benefit (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΜΑΚΡΟΧΡΟΝΊΩΣ ΑΝΈΡΓΩΝ)
- special allowance after a three month waiting period in the Jobseekers’ Registry (ΕΙΔΙΚΌ ΒΟΉΘΗΜΑ ΜΕΤΆ ΑΠΌ ΤΡΊΜΗΝΗ ΠΑΡΑΜΟΝΉ ΣΤΟ ΜΗΤΡΏΟ ΑΝΈΡΓΩΝ)
- special allowance after the receipt of unemployment benefit (ΕΙΔΙΚΌ ΒΟΉΘΗΜΑ ΜΕΤΆ ΤΗ ΛΉΞΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΠΙΔΌΤΗΣΗΣ ΛΌΓΩ ΑΝΕΡΓΊΑΣ)
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 Public Employment Service (DYPA) to employees 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. The duration of unemployment benefit can be extended for older unemployed. https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=taktiki-epidotisi-anerghias&tab2=koini-anerghoi&tab3=
Special Seasonal Allowance (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 Public Employment Service (DYPA) in the period during which they cannot exercise their professional activity.
Seasonal employees must be insured with the e-National Social Security Fund (e-EFKA) 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 e-EFKA 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 DYPA website at https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-epokhiko-voithima&tab3=
Long-term unemployment benefit (ΕΠΊΔΟΜΑ ΜΑΚΡΟΧΡΟΝΊΩΣ ΑΝΈΡΓΩΝ): for information on the long-term unemployment benefit please visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=epidoma-makrokhronios-anerghon&tab3=
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 has at least 60 days of insurance, stays registered as unemployed for a period of 3 months, then he/she is granted the allowance. For information visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-voithima-meta-apo-trimini-paramoni-sto-mitrwo-anerghon&tab3
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 a) he/she in not included in the professional categories that are "seasonal" in nature and b) the claimant remains unemployed for the next month, then he/she is granted the allowance (lump sum). For information visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-voithima-meta-ti-liksi-tis-taktikis-epidotisis-anerghias&tab3
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 without taking into account the last 2 months or for a period of at least 200 days within the 2 years prior to the termination of your employment without taking into account the last 2 months.
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.
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 (the number varies according to the professional field) 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). For information visit the DYPA website at https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-epokhiko-voithima&tab3=
Long-term unemployment benefit: for information on the long-term unemployment benefit, please visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/faq Information also available at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=epidoma-makrokhronios-anerghon&tab3=
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 referred to art. 22 of Law 1836/89 (construction workers, musicians, actors, stone cutters, etc.) and you must meet specific income criteria based on the length of time you have been unemployed and your marital status. For information visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-voithima-meta-apo-trimini-paramoni-sto-mitrwo-anerghon&tab3
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 you must meet specific income criteria based on the length of time you have been unemployed and your marital status. For information visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-voithima-meta-ti-liksi-tis-taktikis-epidotisis-anerghias&tab3
All benefits are subject to tax in cases where the annual personal income amounts to over EUR 10,000.
What am I entitled to and how can I claim?
Unemployment benefit: the basic monthly benefit amounts to EUR 438, which increases by 10% for every dependant 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 or 2 years), as presented in the website of the Public Employment Service (DYPA ).
In order to receive the unemployment benefit, you must register with the local Public Employment Service (DYPA) and fill an application for the benefits within 60 days from the day you became unemployed.
Special Seasonal Allowance: it is paid in a lump sum once a year. The amount depends on the social and professional class of the beneficiary. For information please visit the DYPA website at https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-epokhiko-voithima&tab3
Long-term unemployment benefit: for information on long-term unemployment benefit, please visit the DYPA website at https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=epidoma-makrokhronios-anerghon&tab3=
Special allowance after a three month waiting period in the Jobseekers’ Registry: Lump-sum of 15 daily unemployment benefits (15*17.52=EUR 262.80). For information visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-voithima-meta-apo-trimini-paramoni-sto-mitrwo-anerghon&tab3
Special allowance after the receipt of unemployment benefit: Lump-sum of 13 daily unemployment benefits (13*17.52=EUR 227.76). For information visit the DYPA website at: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/anergia-kai-paroxes-asfalishs-misthwtwn?tab=boithimata-epidomata&tab2=eidiko-voithima-meta-ti-liksi-tis-taktikis-epidotisis-anerghias&tab3
Forms you may need to fill in
Know your rights
The link below provides a legal definition of your rights. It is not an European Commission website, nor does it represent the views of the Commission:
Publication and website of the European Commission:
Who do you need to contact?
Public Employment Service (DYPA)
Directorate of Insurance & Social Policies
Department of EU Regulations and Conventions
Εθνικής Αντιστάσεως 8/Ethnikis Antistaseos 8
174 56 Άλιμος/Alimos
ΕΛΛΑΔΑ/GREECE
Website: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/
FAQs: https://www.dypa.gov.gr/faq
1555 – Number for Citizens ‘communication and service on insurance, labour and social issues www.1555.gov.gr