ARE YOU INTERESTED IN WORKING AS A VOLUNTEER AT A FESTIVAL WHILE RECEIVING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS OR EARLY RETIREMENT BENEFITS?

Festival season has just begun, and many volunteers contribute to making these exciting events happen.

If you receive benefits from FTFa and wish to work as a volunteer at a festival, it is important to remember that you need approval from FTFa before starting the work. This applies whether you are receiving unemployment benefits or early retirement benefits.

The voluntary work must be carried out in voluntary organizations or associations whose primary purpose is not to generate profit. These organizations should have charitable purposes, and any surplus should benefit society.

It is also crucial that the work is entirely unpaid. You must not receive any form of payment, including wages, fees, or allowances. Even small amounts or one-time payments can result in deductions from your benefits. However, if you receive a festival wristband which is necessary to perform the work, it is not considered as remuneration.

Additionally, the voluntary work must take place in Denmark, and you need to inform FTFa about your activities by filling out the relevant form by logging in to Tast Selv on FTFa.dk.

When applying for approval from us to work as a volunteer at a festival, there are some specific points to consider:

• It is important to clarify whom you will be working for. Are you directly working for the festival itself, or is it for a restaurant, bar, clothing booth, or similar entity participating in the festival? For example, if you work for a restaurant chain that also operates a commercial business outside the festival, it will be considered regular employment and result in deductions from your benefits, even if you are "hired" as a volunteer and simply provided with a wristband.
• It is also important to specify the tasks you will be performing at the festival. This will help the unemployment insurance fund assess whether the voluntary work should lead to deductions from your benefits.

Always remember to obtain approval from the unemployment insurance fund before starting voluntary work at a festival. This ensures compliance with the rules and helps avoid any issues with your benefits.