Palkkatöissä

Palkkatöissä is a Finnish term meaning “in paid employment.” It refers to people who earn wages or a salary for their work, as opposed to unpaid labor, volunteering, or self-employed work without payroll. The expression is commonly used in statistical descriptions, policy discussions, and journalism about the labor market.

Etymology and form: The word combines palkka (wage) and työ/töi (work) to form palkkatyö, with the suffix -ssä indicating a state or location. Thus palkkatöissä literally means “in paid work.” It can function as a predicate or as part of a noun phrase, for example: Hän on palkkatöissä. Palkkatöissä is generally understood to cover wage-earning positions, including both full-time and part-time employment on payroll.

Use and context: In Finnish public discourse and official statistics, palkkatöissä is used to describe the portion of the population that participates in paid employment. It helps distinguish those in wage-based work from self-employed individuals, entrepreneurs, or those performing unpaid or family labor. The term appears in surveys, reports, and news coverage about employment rates, labor-market participation, and related policy measures.

Examples:

- Hän on palkkatöissä.

- Palkkatöissä olevien määrä on kasvanut viime vuosina.

- Nuoret saattavat aloittaa palkkatöissä opiskelujen ohella.

See also: Työ, Palkka, Työmarkkinat, Työttömyys, Työnteko.