Phase
The Employment Contracts Act (55/2001)
Native name
Työsopimuslaki (55/2001)
Type
Time off for job search
Added to database
08 May 2015

Article

Ch. 7, Sec. 12 and 12a.


Description

Unless otherwise agreed by the employer and the employee, the employee is entitled during the period of notice to take fully paid leave in order to draw up an employment plan with the employment services, to participate in training, or to look for work or attend job interviews. The length of the leave depends on the length of the period of notice:

  • a maximum of five working days, if the period of notice is less than one month;
  • a maximum of ten working days, if the period of notice is longer than one month but less than four months; and
  • a maximum of 20 working days, if the period of notice is longer than four months.

From 1 January 2023, an employee who has turned 55 and has had an employment for a minimum of five consecutive years at the time of notice is entitled to paid leave for:

  • a maximum of five working days, if the period of notice is less than one month;
  • a maximum of 15 working days, if the period of notice is longer than one month but less than four months; and
  • a maximum of 25 working days, if the period of notice is longer than four months.

The employee must notify the employer as early as possible of any plans of and reasons for taking time off. The leave must not cause substantial inconvenience to the employer, and, upon request, the employee is obliged to present an account for each leave.


Commentary

The right to leave for job search does not apply in cases where the employer goes bankrupt. This can cause significant trouble for employees in cases of unexpected bankruptcies.


Additional metadata

Cost covered by
Employer
Involved actors other than national government
National government
Involvement (others)
None
Thresholds
Affected employees: No, applicable in all circumstances
Company size: No, applicable in all circumstances
Additional information: No, applicable in all circumstances

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2015), Finland: Time off for job search, Restructuring legislation database, Dublin, https://apps.eurofound.europa.eu/legislationdb/time-off-for-job-search/finland

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