Global Compliance Desk – Finland
Amendments to Annual Holidays Act
According to the new amendment to the Finnish Annual Holidays Act, employees would be able to take an additional holiday if they have earned less than 24 days of annual leave because of absence from work. The Government submitted its proposals to amend the Annual Holidays Act to Parliament on November 1, 2018. The change relates to the implementation of EU legislation and it is expected to enter into force from April 1, 2019.
Under the Act, employees have the right to 4 weeks of paid annual leave, even if they have been absent from work due to sickness or medical rehabilitation. Additionally, employees whose annual holiday has been postponed due to incapacity for work will have the right to their summer holiday during the holiday period and their winter holiday before the start of the next holiday period, with some exceptions.
Working Hours Reform Proposed
The government proposal on a new Finnish Working Hours Act was submitted to parliament on 27 September 2018. The new Act would replace the current Working Hours Act dating from 1996. The aim of the reform is to create new tools for making local working hour arrangements and to meet the needs of the present day working life. The arrangement would be intended for specialist work where specific goals and overall timetables are more important than working during set hours. Currently, only certain collective agreements in Finland include provisions regarding working hour banks. The reform is intended to enter into force on January 1, 2020.
