Labour legislation
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Labour legislation (all Acts, see Further information) comprises such acts as the
- Employment Contracts Act,
- Working Time Act,
- Annual Holidays Act,
- Non-discrimination Act,
- Act on the Protection of Privacy in Working Life,
- Collective Agreements Act,
- Study Leave Act,
- Wage Guarantee Act and
- the legislation on the personnel involvement systems (co-operation within undertakings, representation in administrative organs and personnel funds).
Below the heading ‘Employment contract and employment relationship’, separate information can be accessed on a range of topics, including
- non-competition agreements,
- young workers,
- posted workers,
- working at sea,
- employment security during military or non-military service and
- family leave.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is responsible for drafting and evolving labour legislation.
Labour legislation is drafted on a tripartite basis, in collaboration with the organisations representing the interests of employers and employees. The working conditions of employees are determined on the basis of legislation and the collective agreements that exist for the various sectors.
Enforcing compliance with the labour legislation is mostly the responsibility of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) authorities of the OSH Divisions at the Regional State Administrative Agencies, which come under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health. The co-operation ombudsman Link to an external websitehas responsibility for monitoring matters relating to personnel involvement systems.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment is involved in the drafting of agreements connected with EU labour law and the ILO. The ministry supports the drafting and monitoring of labour legislation and evaluates these on the basis of studies and research.
Ongoing projects
- The Orpo government's labour market reforms
- Ongoing statute drafting projects and organs, working life (mostly in Finnish)
Further information
Guidance and supervision of labour legislation: Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha)Link to an external website
Law-drafting: Nico Steiner, nico.steiner(at)gov.fi, Elli Nieminen, elli.nieminen(at)gov.fi
News
Council of the EU to discuss Directive on improving position of trainees
Amendments to industrial peace legislation to enter into force on 18 May
Government submits position to Parliament on Commission proposal to improve working conditions of trainees
Plan to enhance the labour market model sent out for comments
Changes at the turn of the year in the administrative branch of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment
Related websites
- Rules of working life, services (suomi.fi)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Yrittäjän talousapu - counselling service for entrepreneurs (suomi.fi)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- InfoFinland.fi - guide for living in Finland, 12 languagesLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Working in Finland, brochure, 24 languagesLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Collective Agreements (in Finnish, finlex.fi)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Regional State Administrative Agency (AVI), Occupational Safety and HealthLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Osha)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Osha: PublicationsLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Osha: Permits, notifications and formsLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Recruiting an Employee (suomi.fi)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Work in Finland, taxes (vero.fi)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- Household employers, taxes (vero.fi)Link to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- EU Employment and social policyLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- European Comission, Labour lawLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
- EUR-Lex databaseLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab