Mela sickness allowance for recipients of grants

What is Mela sickness allowance?

Mela sickness allowance is a benefit provided to compensate for lost income due to work incapacity caused by illness, such as seasonal flu or sudden back pain.

Mela sickness allowance does not cover medical expenses

Mela sickness allowance is designed only to compensate for lost income due to illness. It does not cover medical expenses, such as medical consultation, medicines, or treatments. If you have a separate health care insurance, you can submit a claim for medical expenses to your health care insurance provider.

When am I entitled to Mela sickness allowance?

You are entitled to Mela sickness allowance, if you meet the following criteria:

1. A valid MYEL Pension Insurance: You must have a valid MYEL pension insurance when you contract the illness, or Mela must have received your insurance application at least one day before your incapacity to work begins.
2. Medical Certificate: A written medical certificate from a doctor or other relevant health professional is required.
3. Your Sick Leave Extends Beyond the Waiting Period:  The waiting period for the Mela sickness allowance is four days. This includes the day you see the physician plus the following three days. You can start receiving the allowance from the fifth day of your illness if your sick leave extends beyond this waiting period.

Are there any restrictions regarding Mela sickness allowance?

Mela sickness allowance covers illnesses causing work incapacity, such as seasonal flu or pneumonia. However, it does not cover all conditions. For example, burnout is considered an occupational phenomenon and is not classified as a medical condition, and therefore it is not covered by the Mela sickness allowance.

Here are a few examples of what Mela sickness allowance does not cover:

• Non-Work-Related Illnesses: Illness not related to work incapacity.
• Disability Pension Overlap: If you already receive a disability pension for the same illness, you may not be eligible.
• Occupational accidents or diseases: The Mela sickness allowance itself does not cover occupational accidents or diseases. However, if you have a MYEL pension insurance, you are automatically covered by MATA occupational accident and disease insurance, which does cover occupational accidents and diseases caused by work.
• Caring for Sick Family Members: Time off for caring for a sick child or family member is not covered.
• Plastic surgeries: The Mela sickness allowance does not cover plastic surgery unless it is medically necessary due to an illness or injury causing work incapacity. Cosmetic or elective plastic surgeries are not covered under Mela sickness allowance.

Do I claim sickness allowance from Mela or Kela?

The length of your sick leave determines whether you have to claim sickness allowance from Mela or Kela.

Claim your sickness allowance from Mela if your sick leave after the first day of illness is less than 9 working days.

Example

Alex is a researcher who received a grant to study marine ecosystems. During the project, Alex catches a flu and is

unable to continue the fieldwork. Alex consults a doctor on May 2^nd, who provides a medical certificate confirming the illness.

 

Alex’s sick leave is expected to last  7 days. Since the sick leave is shorter than 9 working days, Alex submits a claim for

sickness allowance to Mela. Alex includes the medical certificate and follows the necessary steps to complete the claim. The waiting period for the Mela sickness allowance starts  on May 2^nd and ends on May 5^th. Alex receives the Mela sickness allowance from May 6^th to May 8^th.

 If your sick leave continues for more than 9 working days, you claim your sickness allowance directly from Kela. The claim must be submitted to Kela no later than  months after the day when your work incapacity began.

When you fill in the Kela claim form, remember to check and mark the box “Allowance for persons insured under MYEL during the waiting period”. Kela will then provide Mela the information about your sick leave required for payment of your Mela sickness allowance.

To estimate the waiting period of Kela’s sickness allowance, you can use Kela’s Sickness Allowance Calculator (available in Finnish and Swedish).

Example 1:

Alex initially claimed sickness allowance from Mela for a sick leave expected to last 7 days, starting from May 2^nd. However, Alex’s flu persists, and the doctor advises an additional 10 days of rest on May 8^th.

 

The waiting period for Kela’s sickness allowance ends on May 14^th.Since Alex’s total sick leave from May 2^nd to May 18^th now exceeds Kela’s sickness allowance waiting period, Alex must submit a claim to Kela for the extended period from May 9^th to May 18^th.

 

Example 2:

Emma is a PhD student who received a grant to conduct research on renewable energy technologies. Emma develops severe bronchitis and is unable to continue her research work. Emma consults a doctor on August 15^th, who provides a medical certificate confirming her illness and recommends a sick leave of 14 days.

 

Emma’s sick leave from August 15^th to August 28^th includes 12 working days. Since this exceeds Kela’s waiting period (the first day of illness + 9 working days), Emma needs to submit a claim for sickness allowance directly to Kela and in the claim form mark box “Allowance for persons insured under MYEL during the waiting period”.

How can I apply Mela sickness allowance?

To claim Mela sickness allowance, please follow these steps:

1. Obtain a Medical Certificate: Visit a doctor and get a written medical certificate confirming your illness.
2. Submit Your Claim: You can submit your claim in one of the following ways:
   • Online: Use Mela’s e-services
   • By contacting a Mela Representative
   • By printing out the Mela sickness allowance application from on the website and send it by post.

3. Include your Medical Certificate: Ensure you include the medical certificate with your claim. You can submit medical certificates to Mela electronically using our e-services (Send attachments).

Make sure to submit your claim within six months from the day your work incapacity began.

For how long does Mela pay Mela sickness allowance?

Mela pays the Mela sickness allowance while you wait for your sickness allowance from Kela. This period includes the first day of illness plus the following nine working days. Therefore, Mela sickness allowance is paid for up to 10 days, including regular Saturdays and holiday eves.

Example

Maya is a new grant recipient who received funding to study the effects of urbanization on bird populations. Maya falls ill with sinusitis on October 1^st and visits a doctor on the same day. The doctor provides a medical certificate confirming her illness and recommends a sick leave of 11 days.

 

The waiting period for Mela sickness allowance starts on October 1^st and ends on October 4^th. Maya receives the Mela sickness allowance from October 5^th to October 11^th, covering her sick leave 6 out of 10 days. This financial support helps Maya focus on recovery without worrying about the loss of income, allowing her to return to her research work fully recovered.

 

The waiting period for the sick leave extends beyond October 1^st to October 11^th, which includes the first day of illness and the following 9 working days. If Mays sick leave continues after October 11^th, she will have to claim  sickness allowance from Kela.

Amount of Mela sickness allowance

The amount of your Mela sickness allowance is calculated based on your annual (MYEL) earnings. The daily allowance is 1/514 of your annual earnings rounded to the nearest euro. Kela also uses your annual earnings to calculate the amount of your sickness allowance

You can estimate the amount of your Mela sickness allowance using our Daily allowance calculator.

Mela sickness allowance is taxable income.