Kone’s Employee Benefit Fund for Operatives – February Newsletter
The Financial Supervisory Authority approved on 3 February 2026 the rule changes adopted at the Kone’s Employee Benefit Fund’s general meeting on 18 November 2026.
The amendments clarify existing practices and update the rules to better reflect the Fund’s operations.
Below is a summary of the key changes:
1. Membership Fee (Section 4)
A membership fee for participating employers has been added to the rules concerning the Fund’s scope of operations. This fee has long been part of established practice.
2. Insurance Contributions for Participating Employers (Section 8)
The insurance contribution is now defined more clearly in the rules. There are no changes to the contribution amount or the method of collection.
3. Dental Care Reimbursement Criteria (Section 14.2)
The reimbursement criteria for dental care have been clarified:
- Purely aesthetic dental care is not reimbursed (e.g., whitening, veneers without medical indication). The wording of the dental care section has been refined.
- Orthodontic treatment is reimbursed only on medical grounds based on a dentist’s statement.
4. Assistive Devices (Section 14.6)
Clarifications have been added regarding which assistive devices are not reimbursed:
- Meters and ergonomic assistive devices are not reimbursed, as these can be covered by the employer.
5. Discretionary Benefit (Section 14.7)
The content and requirements for the discretionary benefit have been specified more precisely. The practical application of the benefit remains unchanged:
- Reimbursable procedures include those necessary to maintain work ability (e.g., surgical procedures, hearing rehabilitation).
- Deductible €200, maximum reimbursement €5,000.
- Requires a B‑medical certificate, an application, a supporting statement from the employer, and a cost estimate.
6. Meeting Formats (Section 32)
The general meeting may in the future be held as:
- An in‑person meeting, a remote meeting or a hybrid meeting.
The meeting notice will specify the form of participation.
7. Voting Rights and Proxies (Section 33)
The use of voting rights has been clarified:
- Each insured member has one vote.
- A proxy holder may represent a maximum of two insured members.
- The required content of a proxy authorisation is now defined in the rules.
8. Right to Submit Proposals to the General Meeting (Section 36)
The timetable and method for submitting proposals have been clarified:
- Proposals must be submitted to the Board no later than 4 weeks before the meeting.
- Proposals may also be submitted electronically.
- The Board will decide meeting dates in good time and inform insured members accordingly.
9. Meeting Notice (Section 38)
The content of the meeting notice has been specified:
- The notice must state the time, place and participation method.
- Registration to the meeting must take place at least 10 days in advance.
Renewed Website Now Available
The Benefit Fund’s website has been updated to provide a clearer and more user-friendly experience. The site structure has been improved, making key information easier to find.
A new feature of the site is the option to switch the language to English. The language selector can be found in the upper right corner of the page, allowing you to choose Finnish or English as needed.
Please explore the updated site – improvements are ongoing, and we welcome your feedback.
Using Iris – Please Ensure You Select the Correct Fund
The Benefit Fund’s electronic services operate via the Iris service. For this purpose, our website now includes dedicated menus: “Submitting application” and “Iris – e-Services”. In these sections you will find:
- instructions for logging in to Iris
- instructions for applying for compensation via Iris
When logging in to Iris with your online banking credentials, please ensure that you select the correct Benefit Fund link. You can confirm the correct fund on the Suomi.fi identification selection page, where the name of the insurance fund is displayed.
If you accidentally choose the wrong fund, the system sends a request to that fund to process your access. These requests must be handled manually, which slows down the process—this is why selecting the correct fund is important.
Please keep this in mind when accessing the Iris service through the provided link.