hätätyön

Hätätyö refers to work performed in urgent situations to prevent or mitigate damage. This concept is most commonly associated with Finnish labor law, where it describes specific conditions under which employees can be instructed to work beyond their normal hours or on days off. The primary purpose of hätätyö is to address unforeseen events that threaten life, health, property, or the environment.

Examples of situations that might necessitate hätätyö include natural disasters like floods or fires, major industrial accidents, or critical breakdowns in essential services. The employer has the right to direct employees to perform hätätyö when such an event occurs. However, this right is not absolute. It is generally understood that hätätyö should be limited to what is strictly necessary to resolve the immediate crisis.

Employees who perform hätätyö are entitled to compensation for the extra work, often at a higher rate than their regular pay. The specific details of compensation and the extent of permissible hätätyö are typically outlined in collective bargaining agreements or labor legislation. The underlying principle is that while urgent needs may require extraordinary measures, the rights and well-being of the worker must still be respected. The duration of hätätyö is usually temporary, ceasing once the emergency has been managed.