The Unemployment Fund of Service Union United is among the first to make use of automated decision-making – earnings-related allowance approval in as little as a day

The adoption of automated decision-making is based on a 1 May 2023 amendment to administrative procedure and information management legislation that allows authorities to automate decisions that do not require separate human assessment. The amendment has allowed The Unemployment Fund of Service Union United to make greater use of automation.

”We have used robotic process automation before for things like pre-processing earnings-related allowance applications. Now we have been able to apply it to other processes as well. We have automated the handling of partially employed members’ adjusted allowance applications. This is a follow-up process, which means it often doesn’t require any further human decision-making. As long as there are no problems, the software robot is capable of seeing the handling process through all the way to the final decision”, explains The Unemployment Fund of Service Union United´s Director Ilkka Nissilä.

Automation has cut application processing times – 220 working hours saved per month

The Unemployment Fund of Service Union United´s follow-up process for adjusted allowance applications consists of 20 stages. Each stage may also include a number of checks. The software robot processes the application stage by stage, reading information from the application and checking it where necessary. The software robot can also use the same process to update information in the system, and, if all stages are completed successfully, it makes a decision and enters the payment into the system. In the event the software robot detects something that requires human input, the application is transferred to a benefits officer. 

“This system saves us a lot of working hours and has a direct positive effect on application processing times. Currently, the software robot saves us about 220 working hours a month – equivalent to about one and a half employees. Even when it only processes some of the application stages, it still speeds up our process, which takes the strain off our professionals and allows us to provide better customer service, especially during the peak period at the beginning of the month. For example, during the peak at the beginning of November, automation allowed us to make 17% of our payments earlier than we otherwise would have”, Nissilä says. 

For people applying for unemployment allowance, automation means the decisions can be made in as little as one working day, and payment can arrive on the next available payment date. A faster handling process also benefits everyone by reducing the delay between the submission and processing of applications.

The automated decision-making system was implemented in collaboration with software and service provider Digia. The automated processing is carried out utilising the Digia Smart Automation platform, which is the only one of its kind, not only in Finland but in all of Europe.

“The Unemployment Fund of Service Union United is blazing the trail for other unemployment funds and public organisations, demonstrating how operations and customer service can be developed and improved smartly and cost-effectively by applying the right solutions. In this case, they have boldly set out to expand traditional robotic process automation by utilising reactive AI. The multi-stage process logic of their automated system is a good representation of the capabilities of contemporary robotic process automation and AI”, says Digia’s Vice President Olli Ainasvuori. 

Further information:

Olli Ainasvuori             
Vice President, Digia Plc.        
tel. 040 718 6632, olli.ainasvuori(a)digia.com    

Ilkka Nissilä
Director, The Unemployment Fund of Service Union United
ilkka.nissila(a)pam.fi