Unemployment benefit

Main information

Unemployment benefit is used to bridge the period during which you are looking for a job in cooperation with the Czech Labour Office.

The jobseeker applies for unemployment benefits to the Labour Office of the Czech Republic by means of an Application for Unemployment Benefit. This application cannot be submitted separately, only in combination with an Application for Employment Mediation – for more information see the service Jobseeker Registration – employment mediation by the Labour Office.

A jobseeker is entitled to unemployment benefits if he/she applies for unemployment benefits to the Czech Labour Office where he/she is registered as a jobseeker, and if he/she meets the conditions set out in the Act on Employment. The basic condition for entitlement to unemployment benefits is to have obtained a period of pension insurance of at least 12 months during the relevant period (the last 2 years before being registered as a jobseeker) through employment or other gainful activities.

The condition of previous employment can also be met by factoring in the following substitute periods of employment:

• preparing a person with a disability for work,
• receiving an invalidity pension for 3^rd degree disability,
• personal care for children up to 4 years of age,
• personal care for a natural person who is deemed, under specific legislation, dependent on the assistance of another natural person in 2^nd degree (moderate dependence), 3^rd degree (severe dependence) or 4^th degree (total dependence), if such person lives permanently with the jobseeker and they share the costs of their needs; these conditions are not required if the person is considered a close person for the purposes of pension insurance,
• the performance of long-term voluntary service on the basis of a volunteer contract with a sending organisation that has been accredited by the Ministry of the Interior, or the performance of public service on the basis of a public service contract if the scope of the service performed exceeds an average of at least 20 hours per calendar week,
• personal care for a natural person under 10 years of age who is considered to be dependent on the assistance of another natural person in 1^st degree (light dependence) according to the Act on Social Services,
•  duration of temporary incapacity for work or quarantine ordered after the termination of gainful activity that established the person’s participation in sickness insurance under the Act on Sickness Insurance, provided that the person did not cause the temporary incapacity for work intentionally and that the temporary incapacity for work or ordered quarantine arose during that gainful activity or during the protection period under the Act on Sickness Insurance.

This applies to you if

You are a natural person who has lost a job and is looking for a new suitable employment.

When to use this service

You can use the service at any time if you lose your job and are registered as a jobseeker with the Czech Labour Office.

Service settlement

What you need if you are using this service

You need to fill in an Application for Unemployment Benefit form. However, it is not possible to submit an application without being registered as a jobseeker using the Application for Employment Mediation form.

Along with the Application for Unemployment Benefit, please submit evidence of the facts relevant to the granting and provision of unemployment benefits, e.g.:

• Pension Insurance Registration Form,
• Proof of Employment (Employment Record),
• Proof of Other Gainful Activity,
• for a self-employed person, a proof of the duration of participating in pension insurance and of the assessment base for social security contributions and state policy contributions,
• employer’s statement of your average earnings.

Facts relevant to the granting and provision of unemployment benefits can also be submitted via the following documents, which are filled in by the employer:

• employer’s statement for the purpose of assessing unemployment benefit entitlement (employment relation),
• employer’s statement for the purpose of assessing unemployment benefit entitlement (service relation),
• employer’s statement of severance pay for the purpose of provision of unemployment benefit.

Where and how to solve this service

You can submit the application at the contact office of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic according to the place of permanent residence (place of residence) of the natural person.

You can find the contact details of the individual contact points on the website of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic in the section Regional branches.

Additional information

What is the benefit of this service

This service enables you to bridge the difficult financial situation of losing a steady income from employment in the period after losing your job during which you are looking for employment as a jobseeker in cooperation with the Czech Labour Office.

Appeal options

If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the unemployment benefit procedure, you can appeal against the “Decision” within 15 days of its receipt. Submit your appeal with the regional branch of the Labour Office of the Czech Republic that made the decision on the benefit. The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs will then decide on your appeal.