Government bills23
- HE 199/2025 vpPassed with amendments
Facilitating fixed-term employment contracts
Employers will be able to hire a new employee on a fixed-term employment contract for up to one year without a justified reason. In addition, the lay-off notice period will be shortened from 14 days to seven days, and the obligation to re-employ dismissed employees will be removed for businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
22 May 2026 · 1 vote93 jaa78 ei - HE 158/2025 vpPassed
Making it easier to dismiss employees
Dismissing an employee on personal grounds will become easier, as an objective reason will suffice for termination instead of the previous proper and weighty reason. At the same time, the employer's obligation to offer alternative work before dismissal will be restricted.
19 Dec 2025 · 15 votes108 jaa54 ei - HE 164/2024 vpPassed
Linking agricultural subsidies to working conditions
Receipt of agricultural subsidies will be linked to compliance with employees' working conditions and occupational safety from the beginning of 2025. In addition, national aid for crop production can be paid in advance earlier than at present.
13 Dec 2024 · 1 vote155 jaa14 ei - HE 150/2025 vpPassed with amendments
Improving pregnancy and organ donor benefits
Pregnant women will be eligible to receive special pregnancy allowance more often and also on a partial basis if working conditions endanger their health and no alternative work is available. Donors of organs, tissues or cells will be fully compensated for loss of earnings resulting from the procedure.
18 Dec 2025 · passed without a vote - HE 215/2022 vpPassed with amendments
Clarifying employment versus self-employment
A rule on overall assessment will be added to the Employment Contracts Act for situations where it is unclear whether an individual is working under an employment relationship or as an entrepreneur. The amendment will make it easier to identify the correct form of work and prevent employment relationships from being disguised as commission assignments.
15 Feb 2023 · passed without a vote - HE 15/2024 vpPassed with amendments
Improving seafarers' working conditions and protection
The rules of the Maritime Labour Convention will be updated to improve the position, well-being and occupational safety of seafarers. At the same time, obligations will be laid down concerning private recruitment and placement services in the maritime sector and the reporting of fatalities to the authorities.
12 Jun 2024 · passed without a vote - HE 222/2020 vpPassed
Requiring compensation for non-compete agreements
Employers will have to pay compensation to employees for all non-compete agreements, regardless of their duration. In addition, employers will be able to terminate non-compete agreements that have become unnecessary during the employment relationship.
12 Nov 2021 · 3 votes132 jaa35 ei - HE 92/2020 vpPassed
Extending COVID-19 labour law flexibilities
The exceptional employment rules introduced due to the coronavirus crisis will be extended until the end of 2020. Employers will continue to be able to lay off employees on an expedited timetable.
24 Jun 2020 · passed without a vote - HE 242/2021 vpPassed
Easing access to infectious disease allowance
An employee infected with the coronavirus or a parent caring for an ill child can receive infectious disease allowance on the basis of a regular medical certificate without an official isolation order. Annual leave accrues during the period of absence as normal.
17 Feb 2022 · passed without a vote - HE 189/2017 vpPassed
Facilitating apprenticeship contracts
Employers will be able to take on an apprenticeship student without the obligation to first offer additional hours to the workplace's existing part-time employees or dismissed employees. The aim of the amendment is to improve the opportunities of vocational students to secure an apprenticeship placement.
13 Apr 2018 · 12 votes101 jaa55 ei - HE 194/2021 vpPassed with amendments
Tightening transport supervision and client liability
Road transport rules will be tightened, and clients ordering transport will face broader liability for overloads and compliance with driving and rest periods. At the same time, terms of employment for foreign drivers and licensing requirements for light commercial vehicles will be aligned with EU regulations.
22 Dec 2021 · passed without a vote - HE 105/2016 vpPassed with amendments
Facilitating hiring and extending probation
Employers will be able to hire a long-term unemployed person on a fixed-term contract for up to one year without a separate justification. At the same time, the probationary period in employment relationships will be extended to six months, and the re-employment period for dismissed employees will be shortened.
21 Dec 2016 · 7 votes116 jaa56 ei - HE 42/2020 vpPassed
Employment protection for victims of piracy
The employment contract and payment of wages of a seafarer held captive as a result of piracy or armed robbery will continue throughout captivity. In addition, the rules governing rest periods and complaint procedures for ship personnel are clarified.
3 Jun 2020 · passed without a vote - HE 26/2020 vpPassed
Speeding up lay-offs and probationary dismissals
Employers can lay off employees faster than before, and the right to lay off employees is extended to fixed-term employees as well. In addition, an employment contract can be cancelled during a probationary period on production-related or financial grounds.
31 Mar 2020 · 1 voteOnly vote · Lausumaehdotus, mietintö / Arto Satonen
40 jaa12 ei - HE 107/2019 vpPassed
Reinstating notification of collective redundancies
Employers must notify the public employment services (TE services) if they dismiss at least ten employees for financial or production-related reasons. In addition, employers must inform dismissed employees of their right to an employment plan.
12 Mar 2020 · passed without a vote - HE 149/2018 vpPassed with amendments
Establishing the civil service ethics board
Provisions on the Advisory Board on Civil Service Ethics will be laid down in the State Civil Servants Act. The independent body provides state agencies with advisory opinions and recommendations on ethical matters concerning civil servants.
15 Jan 2019 · passed without a vote - HE 227/2018 vpPassed
Easing dismissal criteria and waiting periods
When assessing grounds for dismissing an employee, the number of employees of the employer will be taken into account, facilitating dismissals particularly in small businesses. At the same time, the unemployment benefit waiting period following the termination of an employment relationship for reasons attributable to the employee will be shortened from 90 days to 60 days.
20 Dec 2018 · 3 votes102 jaa72 ei - HE 49/2018 vpPassed with amendments
Clarifying and strengthening trade secret protection
A new Trade Secrets Act will be enacted in Finland, consolidating the protection of trade secrets into a single act and improving the remedies available to businesses to address the unauthorised use of secrets. At the same time, the act will protect the right to report wrongdoing and an employee's right to provide necessary information to a shop steward or employee representative.
5 Jul 2018 · 4 votesClosest vote · Lausumaehdotus, mietintö / Lauri Ihalainen
128 jaa45 ei - HE 188/2017 vpPassed with amendments
Improving job security for zero-hours workers
Variable-hours contracts, such as zero-hours contracts, may be concluded only when the employer's labour need genuinely varies. Employees will also be guaranteed the right to pay during sick leave and notice periods, as well as the right to refuse additional shifts without adverse consequences.
9 May 2018 · 7 votesClosest vote · Lausumaehdotus, mietintö / Anna Kontula
128 jaa63 ei - HE 174/2017 vpPassed
Harmonising terms of church officeholders
Provisions governing church officeholders will be amended to align with general employment and civil service law. Hiring the long-term unemployed on fixed-term contracts will become easier, and overlapping consultation procedures in redundancies will be eliminated.
1 Mar 2018 · passed without a vote