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Employee rights advisory service

The Central Organization of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) maintains an Employee Rights Advisory Service which advises employees of foreign backgrounds on questions concerning their employment. The service is free of charge and available in Finnish and in English by phone or e-mail. Please note the use of this service does not require a trade union membership.

SAK’s Fair Play at Work website includes detailed information about working in Finland in 23 different languages.

The Fair Play at Work guide is divided into 4 main sections:

  • Contact SAK at IHH

    The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) serves IHH customers by phone or email.

    workinfinland@sak.fi +358 800 41 4004 

    Opening hours

    • Monday 14.00 – 17.00
    • Tuesday - Wednesday 09.00 – 11.00
    • Tuesday - Wednesday 12.00 – 15.00

 

Useful links

Frequently asked questions

Fair Play at Work is a website provided by The Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK) and intended for explaining the ground rules for working life and employees’ rights in Finland. Information in available in 23 different languages.

SAK advises employees of foreign origin with questions or problems concerning their employment.  Assistance is available for instance if you would like to ask about your employment contract, normal wage level, holiday entitlement or working hours. Also, if you suspect that you are not getting the correct pay or suffer from harassment or discrimination at work, you can get advice on how to deal with the situation. We will guide you forward to the relevant public authority if necessary.

The service is free of charge and does not require a trade union membership.

Please check the collective agreement – this lays out the terms and conditions of employment for the working sector concerned. Details of the collective agreement for your working sector are available from the shop steward at your workplace or from your trade union.

If there is no collective agreement in the field you work in, please refer to Working Hours Act.

There is no statutory provision for a minimum wage, i.e. Finland does not actually have a minimum wage as such recorded in the law. The employer and employee may agree on how the work done is to be compensated. The salary should be equivalent to what is considered normal in the industry and reasonable in relation to the requirements of the job.

In various sectors, minimum wages are defined in collective agreements. If there is a valid universally binding collective agreement for the sector, employers must comply with its provisions.

Fair Play at Work is intended for explaining the ground rules for working life and employees’ rights in Finland.

If you have any questions or concerns, contact SAK’s Employee rights advisory service.