AAK introduction meeting

You will be called about three weeks after you have registered as unemployed. You will receive both a letter and an email. If you prefer the meeting to be in english, you should tell AAK. The meeting will take approx. an hour and half. Oddly enough there is no form of identification.

Meeting presentation
AAK (Akademikernes A-Kasse) is an unemployment insurance who obeys policies written by the State, like many other AK (A-Kasse). It is an insurance for people with an academic background and includes a wide range of professionals (lawyers, engineers, architects, teachers, etc.), therefore has to coordinate its policies with 14 trade unions.

Once you are unemployed you rely on 4 different authorities:
AK - the A-Kasse you belong to, it provides benefits for unemployment, early retirement, vacation funds, education, etc.
Jobcenter - the national center for job search where you have to register as unemployed, it provides workshops, courses, classes and to some extent the same services of a recruiting agency
Anden Aktør - any other actor-entity which you might be referred to by the Jobcenter
Kommune - your Municipality which provides your benefit money (e.g. in case you are ill)

What does it mean to be available for the job market?
-to be registered with Jobcentre and make your CV on Jobnet.dk
-to attend any meeting you are called upon at AAK, Jobcentre or Anden Aktør
-to actively be seeking employment every 7 day and confirm it on the web. If you forget you lose money by the day and you have to register again
-to seek employment in Denmark (solicited, unsolicited or in person)
-to follow your job plan and apply for jobs which you are required to apply for
-to keep a log of your job search for trimestral evaluation (Jobskema)
-to accept employment with a day's notice

Remember that you are free to leave the country as long as you want, but you will not take any benefits during that time. If you have to travel abroad for an interview, you have max. 5 days at your disposal. You need to notify AAK by phone.

Every three months there is a review meeting both at the AAK and the Jobcentre.
If you have 2 absences you will be put in quarantine (3 weeks without any benefits).
After a certain number of review meetings, AAK will ask you to widen your field of research.

What happens if you get a part time job?
-You can receive "supplementary benefits" up to 30 weeks.
-Lowest payment is for 7.4 hours weekly (1 week day).
-Employer must sign a "form of employee release" (frigørelsesattest)
-The signed "frigørelsesattest" is to be returned to AAK within 5 weeks, at the latest, after starting the job.

Different types of calculation
-The principle rule is an hour for an hour
-"Uncontrolled work" (for example, fees) is calculated by the hour at a rate of 205.52 DKK per hour. This is if you agree on a lump sum not based on hours or hourly rates.
The AAK will calculate the hours by dividing the lump sum by 205.52 DKK to get the hours.

What happens if you are self-employed?
You can still receive benefits even if you do a sideline activity as long as:
-it is carried outside of normal working hours
-you use a limited amount of time for it

A sideline activity can be carried on with benefits only for 78 weeks (1 ½ year).
All work hours (including administration and transportation) will be calculated hour for an hour.
You still need to be available for the job market.

What is "aktivering" (activation)?
Aktivering is your duty, your right and an opportunity. It includes:
-Internship (4 weeks), the employer does not pay you anything, but you get the benefits from the AAK. Some companies actually they advantage of this.
-Praktik
-"Løntilskud" (subsidized job) is financed by the Jobcentre.
-Education (classes, courses). You can get up to 6 weeks of fulltime education while receiving fulltime benefits by Jobcentre. The courses can cost up to 3500 DKK per week. If you take classes you need to inform AKK. Go to www.kurserforledige.com to check on available courses for unemployed people.

You are always engaged in "aktivering". Aktivering that lasts more than 4 weeks (a course for instance) will be formalized through a written agreement with Jobcentre.

In case you become ill, go on holidays or find a job
You log on the jobnet on the first day of illness. Benefits come from your Kommune.

If you go on holidays you have to notify AAK 14 days before.
During holiday you get no benefits, but there's no time limit. Use "Min Side" on Jobnet.dk.

If you find a job you can simply call AAK or go to Jobnet.dk and report the first day of your employment.

Quarantine
A quarantine, notwithstanding the name (in theory 40 days), lasts for a period of 3 weeks.
You incur in a quarantine period if:
-you quit your own job (self-inflicted unemployment)
-you were fired for a faulty reason (you stole, you beat up somebody, you committed a crime of any kind, etc.)

Website
-Use "Selvbetjening" (Self-service) for registering the jobs you have applied for.
Keep a log of your job search whether analogically or digitally. If you prefer to keep it digitally you can also use "Job Skema" on the AAK website.
-Fill your "Dagpenge kort" on the website by going to "Udfyldt Ydelseskort". Every second last sunday of every month a new card will be available. You have up to three months to fill it, but you don't get any money unless and until you do it.
-Check on the "Udbetalingskalender" the overview of the payment periods. Also check on your E-Boks account for the actual payments.

Contact AAK via this email: job@aak.dk
Call, possibly after 11:00 am at +45 3395 0395
Recruiting at jobbank.aak.dk
You can also upload your CV to www.akademikerbasen.dk
Check www.videnpilot.dk, it is a project concerning small and middle size companies to promote hiring academic people. It is not part of "aktivering" since it provides you with an actual job (no subsidies).

Update your "toolbox"
-participate in workshop
-do individual interviews
-get feedback on your CV
-compare presentations