In Finland, sick leave policies are designed to support employees while ensuring a fair and structured approach to absenteeism due to health issues. The regulations outlined in the Employment Contracts Act establish clear guidelines for sick leave, compensation, and requirements for both employees and employers.
1. Sick Leave Payment Structure
Under Finnish law, the payment structure for sick leave is as follows:
Statutory Waiting Period (First Day + 9 Working Days):
During the first 9 days of illness, sick leave is paid by your employer.
If the employee is still within their first month of employment, they receive 50% of their salary during this period.
After completing one month of employment, employees are entitled to receive 100% of their salary for the sick leave taken.
Companies may choose to pay full salary to employees employed less than one month; this depends on internal company policies.
After the Waiting Period
If the employer continues to pay salary, the employee may receive sickness allowance paid by social security (Kela) for additional days.
2. Reimbursement from Kela
Employers can recover some of the costs associated with sick leave:
After the 9th day of sick leave, employees will receive salary compensation from Finland’s social security system, known as Kela. Kela provides compensation for up to 300 days of sick leave, ensuring that employees have financial support during prolonged illnesses.
No reimbursement to employers during the first 10 days, as this is the responsibility of the employer.
Employers who voluntarily pay full salary beyond 10 days can be reimbursed by Kela.
3. Medical Certificate Requirement
To ensure that sick leave is valid and appropriately compensated:
A medical certificate is typically required for absences longer than 10 working days.
Some employers may request medical documentation even earlier, per internal policy.
4. In the platform
Sick leave is configured with no fixed annual balance. The employer-paid period and any subsequent Kela sickness allowance are assessed per absence rather than deducted from a running balance.
A supporting document is required with every sick leave request in the platform, regardless of absence length.
Sick leave is recorded in half-day units, so a partial day of absence can be logged accurately.
Requests can be submitted retrospectively.