Last year, almost 7,000 Efling members received grants of various kinds, totaling 218 million ISK. That’s a 12% increase from last year. The physical fitness grants were the most sought after, followed by grants for psychological therapy treatments. You can find out what grants are available to Efling members on the union’s website, see here.
In 2023, almost 6,000 educational grants were paid to 4,649 members. The grants are from the Starfsafl, Flóamennt, and the Educational Training Funds of the City of Reykjavík and other municipalities. The number of grants paid increased by 13% from 2022, and 12% more members applied for grants last year, compared to 2022. 424 million ISK were paid out in education grants, an increase of a quarter from 2022.
Increase in sickness benefits payments
A total of 1,388 Efling members were paid sick leave allowance last year, 2023. The number of those who received sickness benefits increased by 6% year-on-year, but the payments rose by more than 36%. In total, Efling’s medical fund paid out almost 1.6 billion ISK last year.
The percentage of members who have received sickness benefits has risen significantly over the last five years. In 2019, the percentage was 3.7%, while last year it was 6.2%. The increase is evenly distributed between the sexes, but unevenly by age group. The biggest increase is in the age group of those aged 60 and over, a total increase of 38%.
Also, the length of time members are on sick leave has increased considerably, by 8% year-on-year.