Occupational Healthcare in Finland
Understanding Finnish occupational healthcare (työterveyshuolto) — employer obligations, covered services, sick leave procedures, and accessing care.
Your right to occupational healthcare
Occupational healthcare (työterveyshuolto) is a distinctive feature of the Finnish healthcare system. By law, every employer must arrange preventive occupational healthcare for their employees. Many employers also provide general medical care through occupational healthcare, making it the primary healthcare access point for employed workers. The service is free for employees — Kela reimburses employers for 50-60% of the costs, and employers cover the rest.
- Legally mandatory for all employers in Finland
- Free for employees — covers preventive care and often general medical care
- Major providers include Terveystalo, Mehiläinen, and Pihlajalinna
Employer obligations
Finnish law requires every employer — from sole proprietors with one employee to large corporations — to arrange occupational healthcare. The scope varies based on the agreement.
- Mandatory preventive services: workplace health assessments, ergonomic evaluations, and work capacity support are required by law
- Optional general medical care: most employers also provide GP-level medical care, which is the most commonly used healthcare service for employees
- The occupational healthcare agreement defines exactly what services are covered — ask your HR department for details when starting a new job
- Employers must inform employees about their occupational healthcare services, provider, and how to access them
Services typically covered
The scope of occupational healthcare varies between employers, but most comprehensive plans cover a wide range of medical services.
- General practitioner consultations for illness, injuries, and health concerns — usually with next-day or same-day availability
- Specialist referrals: many plans include referral to specialists like orthopedists, dermatologists, or psychologists within the same provider network
- Health check-ups (terveystarkastus): regular preventive check-ups, often annually, including blood tests and basic health screenings
- Mental health support: short-term therapy, counseling, and referral to longer-term care are increasingly included in occupational healthcare plans
Sick leave (sairausloma)
Occupational healthcare plays a central role in Finland's sick leave system. Understanding the process helps you navigate illness without stress.
- Self-certification: most employers allow 1-3 days of sick leave with self-notification (omailmoitus) — no doctor's certificate needed
- Doctor's certificate (sairauslomatodistus): required for longer absences, issued by your occupational healthcare doctor or any doctor
- Employer pays full salary during sick leave for a period defined by your collective agreement — typically 1-3 months depending on tenure
- After employer's pay period, Kela pays sickness allowance (sairauspäiväraha) at approximately 70% of your salary for up to 300 working days
How to access occupational healthcare
Accessing your occupational healthcare is typically straightforward, with multiple booking options and fast appointment availability.
- Book through your provider's app or website — Terveystalo, Mehiläinen, and Pihlajalinna all have user-friendly booking platforms
- Phone booking is also available — your employer should provide the occupational healthcare contact number during onboarding
- Remote consultations (etävastaanotto) via video or chat are widely available and count as regular appointments
- After-hours: for urgent evening or weekend needs, use public emergency services (päivystys) — occupational healthcare operates during business hours
Occupational healthcare tips
Making the most of your occupational healthcare benefits requires understanding what's available to you.
- Ask your HR department for a detailed list of covered services — many employees underuse their benefits because they don't know what's included
- Use occupational healthcare as your first point of contact for any health issue — it's free, fast, and familiar with workplace-related health factors
- Annual health check-ups are valuable — take advantage of them to catch potential issues early and maintain baseline health records
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