End of employment

Both employees and employers can terminate the employment relationship when there are legal grounds for the termination. Provisions on the termination of employment relationships are laid down in the Employment Contracts Act.

The employer may terminate an indefinitely valid, i.e. permanent, employment contract either for proper and weighty reasons related to the employee’s person or on financial and production-related grounds.

When your employment ends, you have the right to ask your employer for a written certificate of the duration of your employment and the nature of your tasks.

Read more on the InfoFinland page Employment contract and terms of employment.

End of fixed-term employment

A fixed-term employment contract is binding on both the employer and the employee until the end of the agreed term. The employer cannot terminate a fixed-term employment contract before the agreed end date unless the employer and employee agree on it in the employment contract or later during the employment relationship. A fixed-term contract also obligates the employee. A fixed-term employment relationship ends on the end date specified in your employment contract.

Termination of employment during the probationary period

During the probationary period, the employee and the employer can cancel the employment contract without a period of notice. You can cancel the employment contract during the probationary period if you are not satisfied with, for example, the work tasks or working conditions. The employer can cancel the employment contract during the probationary period, for example if the employee does not have sufficient skills for the job or does not perform the required tasks. The cancelling of the employment contract during the probationary period must not be on discriminatory or improper grounds.

Cancelling the employment contract for weighty reasons

Cancelling the employment contract means that the employment contract ends immediately. There is no period of notice. Otherwise, an employment contract can only be cancelled for a very weighty reason. The employer may have a weighty reason to cancel the employment contract if the employee does not perform the required duties or seriously violates the rules, for example by stealing from the workplace or by coming to work drunk.

The employee may have a weighty reason to cancel the employment contract if the employer does not fulfil its obligations or seriously violates the rules, for example by not paying wages or by neglecting to ensure occupational safety.

If you have problems with your employer, for example with wages or other terms of the employment contract or collective agreement, you can find more information on the InfoFinland page Problems in working life.

In most sectors, notice periods (irtisanomisaika) are defined in the collective agreement (työehtosopimus), so you should check the notice period in the collective agreement. If there is no collective agreement for your sector, notice periods are enshrined in law.

According to the Employment Contracts Act, when an employer dismisses an employee, the notice period is

• 14 days if the employment relationship has continued for up to one year,
• 1 month if the employment relationship has continued for more than a year but less than four years,
• 2 months if the employment relationship has continued for more than four years but less than eight years,
• 4 months if the employment relationship has continued for continued for more than eight years but less than 12 years, or
• 6 months if the employment relationship has continued for more than 12 years.

When the employee terminates the employment relationship, the notice period is according to the Employment Contracts Act is

• 14 days if the employment relationship has continued for up to five years, or
• 1 month if the employment relationship has continued for more than 5 years.

Temporary lay-off (lomautus), or compulsory leave, means that the employer suspends work and salary payments. You will stop working while you are laid off, and you will not be paid for that time. You may be laid off if the employer does not have enough work to offer. Lay-offs may take some time, but your employment relationship will not end.

You have the right to be notified of lay-offs in person at least 14 calendar days before the lay-off begins. This notice period can also be longer if it is stipulated in the collective agreement.

An employee is entitled to receive, on request, a certificate of employment (työtodistus) from their employer at the end of the employment relationship. The employer is not obliged to issue a certificate of employment unless you request it.

A certificate of employment is an important document specifying the duration of the employment relationship and the employee’s tasks. In addition, you can ask that the reason why the employment relationship ended and an assessment of your skills and conduct be included in the certificate. The employer is not allowed to include these in the certificate unless you specifically request it.

Refusing to provide a certificate of employment is illegal. If your employer will not give you a certificate of employment despite your request, you can ask for help from the occupational safety and health authorities (työsuojeluviranomainen).

If your employment relationship ends and you become unemployed, you may be entitled to unemployment benefit (työttömyysturva). Unemployment benefit means a financial support paid to you while you are unemployed. You can also receive unemployment benefit during lay-offs.

One condition for unemployment benefit is that you live in Finland. However, it cannot be on basis of a temporary residence permit. There are also other conditions. Find out about your rights from your unemployment fund (työttömyyskassa) or Kela.

Read more on the InfoFinland page If you become unemployed.

If you are not an EU citizen or a Nordic citizen and you terminate your employment relationship but do not have a new job or any other reason to be in Finland, your right of residence in Finland may end. A new job is usually only allowed in the same field. If you change fields, you must apply for a new residence permit.

Read more on the InfoFinland page Right to work in Finland.