Sairauspoissaolo: sick absence

Detailed explanation

Finnish employment law provides strong protections for employees who fall ill. Under the Employment Contracts Act, employees are entitled to full pay for the day they fall ill and the following 9 weekdays if the employment has lasted at least one month (50% of pay if it has lasted less than a month). The law has no unpaid waiting day (karenssi); collective agreements may set their own terms. After this initial period paid by the employer, Kela pays sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) for up to approximately 300 working days.

Many collective agreements (TES) improve on the legal minimum significantly. For employees who have worked at the company for a certain period, the employer may continue paying full salary for 1-3 months during illness. The exact terms depend on the applicable collective agreement and the length of employment.

For short absences (typically 1-3 days), most Finnish employers accept self-certification - the employee simply notifies their supervisor. For longer absences, a medical certificate (sairauslomatodistus or lääkärintodistus) from a doctor is required. Many workplaces use occupational healthcare (työterveyshuolto) as the primary provider for these assessments.

How it affects expats

• Notification procedure: Inform your supervisor as early as possible on the first day of illness, following your workplace's specific procedure
• Self-certification: Many employers allow 1-3 sick days without a doctor's note, but policies vary; learn your workplace rules early
• Occupational health: Use your employer's occupational healthcare provider for sick visits when possible, as it is usually free for the employee
• No guilt culture: Taking sick days when genuinely ill is expected and accepted in Finnish work culture; coming to work sick is discouraged
• Child illness: Parents have a right to short-term absence (up to 4 days) to care for a sick child under 10 years old

Sick absence process

1. Notify your employer as soon as possible, preferably before your workday begins
2. Follow workplace procedures for reporting absence (phone, email, or HR system)
3. Self-certify for short absences (1-3 days depending on workplace policy)
4. Obtain a medical certificate if absence extends beyond the self-certification period
5. Submit documentation to your employer and/or HR department
6. Return to work when recovered; no return-to-work certificate is usually needed for short absences

Related terms

• Työsopimus (Employment Contract): Legal agreement between employee and employer in Finland defining job duties, salary, working hours, and terms
• TES (Collective Agreement): Industry-wide minimum employment conditions in Finland, set by collective bargaining
• Kela: Finland's Social Insurance Institution
• Sairaanhoito (Healthcare): Medical care and treatment services in Finland, encompassing public, private, and occupational healthcare