🇫🇮 Finland · Employment & Labor
Hiring rules, employment contracts, payroll, social insurance, and EOR options.
Quick answer
Finnish employment under the Employment Contracts Act has no statutory minimum wage — universally-binding collective agreements set sector minimum pay — but gives strong protection, holiday of up to five weeks, and dismissal only on proper grounds. Written terms are required and disputes go to the district court or the labour council.
Employment is governed by Finnish labour law and collective agreements; occupational safety is overseen by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
- Pay and many conditions are set by sector-specific collective agreements.
- There is no separate statutory minimum wage; minimums come from collective agreements.
- Written terms of employment and statutory social-insurance contributions apply.
Step-by-step
- 1
Check the collective agreement
Sector collective agreements, often universally binding, set minimum pay and conditions; there is no statutory minimum wage.
- 2
Get written terms
You must receive the key terms of employment in writing; check pay, hours and notice.
- 3
Know your pay and hours rights
Pay follows the applicable collective agreement; the Working Hours Act sets normal hours, overtime and rest.
- 4
Understand holiday entitlements
Under the Annual Holidays Act you accrue up to five weeks' paid holiday depending on service, plus holiday pay.
- 5
Know the dismissal rules
Dismissal requires proper and weighty grounds (personal or financial-and-production) and a set procedure.
- 6
Resolve disputes
Raise issues with the shop steward/union and, if unresolved, the district court (or the labour council for interpretation).
Checklist
- Applicable (often universally-binding) collective agreement
- Written key terms
- Collectively-agreed pay + Working Hours Act limits
- Up to 5 weeks' holiday + holiday pay
- Social-insurance/pension coverage
- Proper-grounds dismissal + procedure
- Anti-discrimination protections
- Dispute route (union / district court / labour council)
Official authorities
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Workplace safety and employment relations.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a minimum wage in Finland?
There is no statutory minimum wage; minimum pay is set by sector collective agreements, many of which are universally binding.
How much holiday do I get?
Up to five weeks a year (2 or 2.5 days per month worked) under the Annual Holidays Act, plus holiday pay.
Can I be dismissed easily?
No — dismissal requires proper and weighty grounds and a correct procedure.
Official-information aggregation, not legal advice. Always verify on the authority's own site.