Employee rights in Finland: employment law guide for immigrants

Employee rights in Finland

Finland has strong employment protections that apply equally to all workers, regardless of nationality. Whether you are a Finnish citizen or an immigrant with a work permit, the law guarantees the same rights. Finnish labor law is further strengthened by collective agreements negotiated between employer organizations and trade unions. Understanding your rights is essential for navigating the Finnish workplace.

Employment contracts

Written contract requirement

Finnish law strongly recommends a written employment contract, and most collective agreements require one. The contract must include:

• Names of employer and employee
• Start date and duration (permanent or fixed-term)
• Workplace location
• Job description and duties
• Applicable collective agreement
• Salary and pay period
• Regular working hours
• Annual leave terms
• Notice period
• Trial period (if applicable)

Types of employment

• Permanent (toistaiseksi voimassa oleva): The default and most common type. No end date specified
• Fixed-term (määräaikainen): Normally needs a justified reason (project work, substitution, seasonal need). Since 1 June 2026, a first fixed-term contract of up to 1 year can be made without a justified reason, and either party can end it once it has lasted 6 months. Cannot be used repeatedly to avoid permanent hiring
• Part-time (osa-aikainen): Fewer hours than full-time. Same rights on a pro-rata basis
• Zero-hour (nollatuntisopimus): Variable hours with no guaranteed minimum. Recent legislation has strengthened protections for zero-hour workers

Language of the contract

Your contract may be in Finnish, Swedish, or English. If you do not understand Finnish, you have the right to request a translation or explanation of the terms. Consider having a Finnish-speaking friend or union representative review the contract before signing.

Probation period (koeaika)

Rules

• Maximum length: 6 months
• Both employer and employee can terminate during probation with immediate effect
• No notice period required during probation
• Termination during probation must not be based on discriminatory grounds
• For fixed-term contracts, probation cannot exceed half the contract duration

What to know

• Probation period must be stated in the employment contract
• The probation period can be extended only for incapacity for work or family leave, by 1 month for every 30 days of absence, and the employer must notify you before the probation period ends
• The same probation conditions apply to both parties

Working hours

Standard working hours

• Regular working hours: 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week (by law)
• Common practice: 7.5 hours per day, 37.5 hours per week (many collective agreements)
• Flexible working time: Many employers offer flexitime with core hours

Overtime (ylityö)

• Overtime requires the employee's consent
• Daily overtime: Work exceeding 8 hours/day
• first 2 hours at 150%, subsequent hours at 200%
• Weekly overtime: Work exceeding 40 hours/week (that is not already daily overtime)
• paid at 150% (a 50% increase)
• Working time including overtime may not exceed an average of 48 hours/week over a 4-month period (Working Hours Act 872/2019)
• Overtime compensation can be exchanged for time off by agreement

Breaks and rest periods

• Daily break: If your continuous working day is longer than 6 hours, you get a break of at least 1 hour during which you may leave the workplace; employer and employee can agree on a shorter break of at least 30 minutes
• Daily rest: At least 11 consecutive hours between shifts
• Weekly rest: At least 35 consecutive hours per week (usually Sunday)
• Evening/night work: Additional compensation required under most collective agreements

Collective agreements (TES - työehtosopimus)

What are they?

Collective agreements are sector-wide contracts negotiated between employer organizations and trade unions. They set minimum standards for:

• Wages and salary scales
• Working hours and overtime compensation
• Holiday bonuses and benefits
• Sick leave pay
• Training and professional development
• Notice periods

Why they matter

In Finland, collective agreements often provide significantly better terms than the minimum legal requirements. Approximately 90% of Finnish workers are covered by a collective agreement.

• Generally applicable agreements bind all employers in a sector, regardless of whether they belong to an employer organization
• Your employer must follow the applicable collective agreement for your industry
• Terms in your individual contract cannot be worse than the collective agreement
• Check which agreement applies to your workplace
• ask your employer or shop steward

Trade unions

• You have the right to join a trade union
• Union membership fees are typically 1-2% of salary; they are not tax-deductible from tax year 2026 (unemployment fund fees remain deductible)
• Unions provide legal assistance, wage negotiation support, and career services
• Most unions also include unemployment fund (A-kassa) membership
• Major unions: PAM (services), TEK (technology), Tehy (healthcare), JHL (public sector), Pro (office workers)

Notice periods (irtisanomisaika)

Employer termination notice

Notice periods depend on the length of employment:

Employee resignation notice

Collective agreements may specify different notice periods. Always check your contract and applicable TES.

Annual leave (vuosiloma)

How leave accrues

• First year: 2 days of leave per month worked
• After one year: 2.5 days of leave per month worked
• A full year of accrual (April-March) gives 30 working days of leave
• Leave accrues during a leave accrual year (April 1 to March 31)

When leave is taken

• Summer leave (24 days): Must be taken between May 2 and September 30
• Winter leave (6 days): Taken outside the summer period
• Employer determines the timing after consulting the employee
• At least 2 weeks of uninterrupted leave must be granted in summer

Holiday pay and bonus

• You receive your normal salary during annual leave
• Most collective agreements include a holiday bonus (lomaraha) of 50% of holiday pay
• Holiday bonus is typically paid in connection with the summer holiday
• If your employment ends before you take accrued leave, you receive holiday compensation for unused days

Sick leave (sairausloma)

Your rights

• You can take sick leave when you are unable to work due to illness or injury
• Notify your employer as soon as possible
• A doctor's certificate is usually required after 3 days of absence (some workplaces accept self-certification for 1-3 days)
• Your employer cannot terminate your employment due to illness (except in extreme long-term cases)

Sick leave pay

• Employer pays: Full salary for the first day of illness (waiting day) and then typically 1-3 months, depending on the collective agreement
• Kela pays: After the employer's obligation ends, Kela pays sickness allowance based on your annual income
• Sickness allowance is paid for a maximum of approximately 300 working days
• Some collective agreements provide full pay for extended sick leave periods

Child's illness

• You can take temporary childcare leave if your child under 10 falls ill
• Duration: usually up to 4 working days per illness
• Most collective agreements require the employer to pay for these days
• Only one parent at a time can use this leave

Parental leave

Finland reformed its parental leave system in 2022, introducing a more equal model.

Current system (2026)

• Pregnancy allowance: Approximately 40 working days for the birth parent, starting 14-30 days before the due date
• Parental allowance: 320 working days total, shared between both parents
• Each parent has a personal quota of 160 days
• Up to 63 days can be transferred to the other parent
• Can be used until the child turns 2 years old
• Paid by Kela, amount based on income (minimum 31.99 EUR/day)

Returning to work

• You have the right to return to your previous job or a comparable position
• Your employer cannot terminate your employment because of pregnancy or parental leave
• Accrued benefits (seniority, pension) continue during leave

Termination protections

Employer cannot terminate without cause

Finnish law provides strong protection against unfair dismissal. An employer needs a proper reason to dismiss on personal grounds (since 1 January 2026; previously "proper and weighty reason"). Financial and production-related dismissals follow separate rules.

Valid grounds for termination

Individual grounds (personal reasons):

• Serious breach of contract obligations
• Significant change in working capacity (long-term illness, only after extensive assessment)
• Repeated neglect of duties despite warnings

Collective grounds (financial/production reasons):

• Work has permanently and substantially diminished due to financial or production reasons
• Reorganization that eliminates the position
• Employer must first offer alternative work or training

What is NOT a valid reason for termination

• Illness (unless permanent and substantially affects work capacity)
• Pregnancy or parental leave
• Trade union membership or activity
• Political or religious views
• Filing a complaint about workplace conditions
• Age, gender, nationality, or other discriminatory grounds

If you are terminated unfairly

• Contact your trade union immediately
• they provide legal assistance
• File a claim with the district court within 2 years
• Compensation for unfair dismissal: 3-24 months' salary
• Contact the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for guidance

Workplace safety and equality

Occupational safety

• Employers must provide a safe working environment
• Risk assessments are mandatory
• Protective equipment must be provided free of charge
• You have the right to refuse dangerous work
• Report safety concerns to the occupational safety representative or authorities

Equality and non-discrimination

• Discrimination based on age, origin, nationality, language, religion, health, disability, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics is prohibited
• Equal pay for equal work regardless of gender or nationality
• Employers with 30+ employees must have an equality plan
• You can file a discrimination complaint with the Non-Discrimination Ombudsman

Official resources

• Finnish Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Workplace rights and safety
• Finlex: Finnish legislation database
• SAK: Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions
• InfoFinland - Working in Finland
• Worker rights information

Related guides

• Work permits - Residence permits and work authorization
• Taxation - Understanding Finnish income taxes
• Social security - Kela registration and benefits
• Unemployment benefits - What to do if you lose your job

Last updated: October 2026. Employment legislation and collective agreements are updated regularly. Consult your trade union or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration for current terms.