Työntekijät

Työntekijät is Finnish for employees—people who perform work for an employer in exchange for wages or salary. In Finnish labor law, a työntekijä is typically in an employer–employee relationship, distinct from the self-employed or a contractor who provides services under a different arrangement. The exact terms are usually set in a työsopimus (employment contract).

Core rules are found in the Employment Contracts Act (Työsopimuslaki), the Working Hours Act (Työaikalaki), and the Annual Holidays Act (Vuosilomalaki). Many conditions—such as pay scales and benefits—are further shaped by sector-specific collective agreements negotiated between unions and employer associations. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to provide a safe and healthy working environment.

Employees have rights to fair pay, rest periods and paid holidays, parental and sick leave, nondiscrimination, privacy, and social security. Employers must provide assignments, appropriate supervision, training, and a safe workplace. Employees owe loyalty, follow reasonable workplace rules, and perform their duties according to the contract.

Types of employees include permanent, fixed-term, and part-time workers, as well as interns and apprentices. Temporary agency workers may be employed through staffing firms. Terms of employment may include probationary periods, and collective agreements may extend or modify statutory rights.

In Finland, employees play a central role in the economy and welfare system. The legal framework emphasizes work-life balance, and ongoing policy discussions address new forms of work, including remote and platform-based employment.