Checklist for the grant recipient

The best way to protect your rights is to familiarise yourself with your rights and agree on the necessary arrangements for the grant work with the grant maker, Mela as well as the place where the work is performed (for example, the university). 

A grant does not create an employment relationship and a researcher working
under a grant is not (legally) an employee of the university or research institution. The exception is those who work simultaneously on a grant and in an employment relationship (see Combined funding).

A researcher in a grant term usually enters into an agreement with the university defining the services to be provided to the researcher and the researcher’s responsibilities.

Regardless of the form of funding, the grant researcher must be recognised as an equal member of the scientific and university community.

Grants received from foundations, universities, and other private entities are taxed on the portion in excess of the state artist grant. The amount of the artist grant is fixed annually.

The statutory pension and workplace accident insurance of grant recipients is handled by the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution Mela. The income that forms the basis of this insurance determines all of the benefits associated with the insurance and it also affects the benefits paid by Kela, the Finnish Social Insurance Institution.

Grants are not taken into account when determining the amount of earnings-related unemployment benefit. A grant term likewise does not contribute toward the employment condition of the earnings-related daily allowance, but it does extend the review period over which the required amount of employment can be accumulated.

During the grant term, you can join FUURT, but not yet the unemployment fund. In order to become a member of an unemployment fund, the applicant must be in a paid employment relationship at the time of joining. An employment relationship may be very short or part-time. On the other hand, it is not necessary or advisable to leave the fund at the beginning of the grant term.

A researcher may do some paid work during a grant term, but the conditions must be checked with the grant maker.

A researcher working on their postgraduate studies (PhD thesis and doctoral training) under a grant may be entitled to financial aid for students.

All working grants affect your housing allowance and social assistance.

A researcher working abroad under a grant only may, if certain conditions are met, be covered by the Finnish social security system and it is usually not worthwhile for them to terminate trade union or unemployment fund membership when leaving Finland.