Rehabilitation options

Vocational rehabilitation options are a work trial, job coaching, education and training, and support for the self-employed. When assessing the right option for you, we will look at your education and training, work history, and how the planned field suits your state of health.

Work trial

You can use a work trial to return to your job with a lighter workload or try out new tasks that suit your work ability better. The goal of a work trial is to find a job that also suits your state of health in the long term.

The work trial can be carried out with your current employer or with a new employer.

A work trial can help

  • support a soft return to your current work after a long absence due to illness
  • assess how you cope with your work
  • modify your tasks to better suit your state of health
  • support your placement with a new employer in tasks that are better suited to your work ability
  • test the suitability of new work tasks for your work ability.

More information on work trials

Work trials are planned at the workplace jointly by you and the employer. It is important to include occupational health care in the planning process when the work trial takes place in your current job.

If the work trial is carried out at a new workplace, our rehabilitation partner’s coach often also participates in the planning process, together with you and the employer.

In the plan you agree on

  • the goals of the work trial
  • the tasks during the work trial
  • working hours and monitoring
  • whether the work trial is paid or unpaid
  • the persons responsible at the workplace and in occupational health care.

If your work trial does not go according to plan, please contact Varma’s rehabilitation specialist or your rehabilitation partner.

The work trial usually lasts from one to three months to begin with. If considered justified, it can be continued after a mid-term evaluation, however its total duration cannot exceed six months.

The minimum working hours for a work trial are 20 hours per week. Daily working hours may vary between four and eight hours, and the goal is to increase your working hours gradually until you reach full working hours.

Report your absences due to illness to the employer in accordance with your workplace’s practices. If your absence lasts more than a week, send Varma a sick leave certificate.

It is not recommended to take a holiday during a work trial to make sure that the goals of the work trial and gradual increase of working hours are achieved as well as possible.

Work trials can be either paid or unpaid. Discuss and agree on this with the employer before the work trial begins.

During an unpaid work trial, Varma will pay you rehabilitation allowance or cash rehabilitation benefit and rehabilitation increment. Varma will take out accident insurance for you in case of occupational accidents during your work trial.

In a paid work trial, the employer pays the salary or wages and Varma pays the rehabilitation allowance to your employer. The goal is for the salary or wages to correspond to full-time work, even if you only work part time. Any difference between the rehabilitation allowance and the salary or wages will be paid to you.

Job coaching

With the help of job coaching, you can acquire new professional skills by learning on the job. The coaching can be carried out with your current employer or with a new employer.

You can also take part in education and training alongside the work, if needed. Job coaching is often preceded by a work trial to make sure that the work duties support your work ability.

More information on the job coaching

Job coaching is planned at the workplace jointly by you and the employer. It is important for occupational health care to participate in the planning process when the job coaching takes place in your current job.

If the job coaching is carried out at a new workplace, our rehabilitation partner’s coach often also participates in the planning process, together with you and the employer.

In the plan you agree on

  • the monthly progress of job coaching
  • the job description targeted through job coaching and the competence required
  • the work tasks during the job coaching
  • monitoring the coaching
  • the workplace contact person.

If your job coaching does not go according to plan, please contact Varma’s rehabilitation specialist or your rehabilitation partner.

The contents and duration of job coaching are planned on an individual basis. The goal is to achieve sufficient professional skills for the job.

Job coaching is usually carried out with full working hours and our recommendation is that it should be paid. In paid job coaching, the employer pays the salary or wages and Varma pays the rehabilitation allowance to your employer based on an application. If the rehabilitation allowance is bigger than the salary or wages, you will be paid the difference.

Report your absences due to illness to the employer in accordance with your workplace’s practices. If your absence lasts more than a week, send Varma a sick leave certificate.

Education

Retraining may be an option if it is not possible to find you a suitable job based on your education and work experience and your work ability cannot be sufficiently supported by a work trial or job coaching. The training or education must lead to an occupation that is suited to your state of health.

Retraining supported by Varma may consist of:

  • a course or other shorter further training or a partial degree or qualification
  • an initial vocational qualification
  • a further vocational or specialist vocational qualification
  • a bachelor’s degree

We do not support studies in an open university of applies sciences or path studies as vocational rehabilitation.

The studies can be completed as full-time studies, multiform studies or as an apprenticeship at the workplace.

More information on studying

We monitor the progress of your studies per term. Make sure your studies are full-time studies and that they proceed according to your study plan.

Vocational studies are full time when they equal at least 4.5 competence points/study month. Higher education studies are full-time studies when you complete at least 5 credits per study month.

First discuss your study plan, any changes required and any support you may need with your school’s contact person.

Contact Varma or your rehabilitation partner if

  • your studies don’t proceed as planned
  • your studies are interrupted for more than a week due to illness or another reason
  • your study plan changes
  • you graduate earlier than planned.

If you study in an apprenticeship, also contact the apprenticeship office.

The changes can affect the payment of your rehabilitation benefit. We may collect from you any unduly paid rehabilitation benefit.

Support for the self-employed

Varma’s vocational rehabilitation supports the self‑employed in continuing to work or returning to work despite illness.

Learn more about rehabilitation for the self‑employed and the different rehabilitation options.

Help with using our services

Take care of your rehabilitation matters online

In our online service, you can, for instance

  • apply for vocational rehabilitation and send attachments
  • draw up and send a rehabilitation plan
  • claim compensation for commuting expenses during a work trial or education period
  • check your earnings limit
  • send a message to your rehabilitation specialist
Log in to Varma Online Service

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