Work trial to support your return to work

What is a work trial and what does it entail?

A work trial is one form of vocational rehabilitation. A work trial enables you to either return to your previous duties at your workplace or try out an entirely new job. Changes in your health may necessitate a modification of the work tasks so as to enable you to return to work. A work trial enables you to test the suitability of the work tasks in practice and return to work in a reduced capacity.

Usually, the work trial starts with working reduced hours, such as working half-time or performing lighter duties, if necessary. The goal is to increase your working hours during the work trial so that, at the end of the trial, you are able to attempt working a full day.

The length of the work trial will be individually agreed on and assessed.

Normally, its duration is 3 months. If you need to extend your work trial, please contact your rehabilitation specialist. The maximum duration of the work trial is 6 months. To find the contact details of your rehabilitation specialist, view your preliminary decision under My Documents in our MyPension service.

You can also apply for a work trial if you are self-employed. Read more about vocational rehabilitation for the self-employed

Work trial plan

If you are interested in a work trial, you can discuss it with your employer and occupational health, for example, in your occupational health negotiation. Consider whether there are any tasks available at the workplace that you could transition to by means of a work trial. Discuss your working hours and supervision as well as the way you can receive guidance regarding the new tasks and agree on them together.

We will help you with planning

If you are unable to try out tasks suitable for your health at your own workplace, or if you are no longer employed, you can have a work trial with another employer.

Your Ilmarinen rehabilitation specialist will be happy to help you with planning the work trial. If necessary, we can also assist you with finding a suitable work trial place. To find the contact details of your rehabilitation specialist, view your preliminary decision under My Documents in our MyPension service.

When you have finished your plan, send it to us via MyPension. Please submit your rehabilitation plan to us no later than 10 months from receiving a preliminary decision from us. Read more about the rehabilitation plan

Work trial agreement

Once we have approved your rehabilitation plan, you can sign a work trial agreement with your employer. The agreement is a form that your rehabilitation specialist will email to your employer. Fill out the form together and return it to us at the start of your work trial.

The questions on the form include:

• Your workplace contact information
• Time of your work trial
• Your work duties
• Your working hours
• Your salary and your employer’s account number if the work trial is paid

Once we have received the agreement and your work trial has started, we will send you a decision regarding the rehabilitation allowance, which will be paid to your account.

If you need to extend your work trial, please contact your rehabilitation specialist to arrange it. If the work trial is extended, we will send a new work trial agreement to your employer.