Employer’s rights and obligations

An employer has the right to:

• hire an employee
• manage work and give instructions and regulations relating to work management
• dismiss and dissolve a contract of employment within the limits provided by law

An employer has the obligation to:

• observe the law, contracts and agreements
• treat employees equally regardless of their origin, religion, sex, age or political views
• look after their employees’ safety and occupational health
• provide their employees with a written account of the central conditions of work
• promote a good working environment, boost employees’ performance in their work and contribute to their occupational development

An employer must observe the collective agreement. For example, they cannot pay less remuneration or have more work done than the agreement specifies.

The Incomes Register is a database in which employers report the salaries paid for their employees. The information must be reported no later than five days after salary payment. The information must be submitted to the Incomes Register electronically:

• directly through the payment system if it has a built-in technical connection to the Incomes Register, or
• through the Incomes Register online service, which you can access using your online banking credentials or other means of electronic authentication.

Salary information can be reported on a paper form only in special cases. Read more about the Incomes Register and how to submit a report on the Incomes Register website.

An employer must take out an occupational disease and accident insurance policy for its employees. This must be done every time an employment contract begins. An employee may obtain compensation when an accident at work has taken place. This compensation may occur as daily allowance for medical treatment expenses and loss of earnings, workers’ compensation pension, compensation for an injury caused by the accident, rehabilitation or, in fatal cases, survivors' pension for relatives. In addition to statutory insurance policies, an employer may also take out various voluntary insurance policies for their employees.

It is a good idea to discuss with your employer what kinds of insurance policies they have taken out for their employees.

When an employee’s contract of employment expires they are entitled to a written testimonial of service from their employer. Read more on the InfoFinland web page Testimonial of service.