Employment Law

Your strategic legal partner in employment matters

Our Employment law team provides employers in Finland with strategic HR legal support and regularly advises companies on strategies related to human resources and employment law matters. These activities include change negotiations, drafting management and employment agreements, and addressing questions related to the termination of employment with an economic and forward-looking approach. We are known for our business-savvy counselling and practical advice.

We work closely with our Corporate Law, Contracts & Commercial Agreements and Dispute Resolution & Arbitration teams to ensure that HR decisions, contracts and dispute strategy support your wider business goals.

Thus, whenever you require practical and well-considered solutions for employment law matters in Finland, we are here to assist you. You can also book a consultation with our Employment law team directly.

We support employers in Finland, especially international companies establishing operations in Helsinki.

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Our team offers extensive advice on a broad spectrum of employment law issues, from hiring to firing:

• Advising on employment law and HR strategy;
• Drafting employment and management agreements;
• Drafting in-house policies and workplace guidelines;
• Advising on collective bargaining agreements;
• Employee data and privacy (including GDPR compliance);
• Employment-related outsourcing and reorganisations;
• Termination of employment agreements;
• Whistleblower protection and internal reporting channels, often together with our ESG & Sustainability team;
• Workforce reorganisation and change negotiations;
• Employment-related disputes handled together with our Dispute Resolution & Arbitration practice.

In cross-border situations, for example when foreign employers hire staff or post employees to Finland, we also advise on international trade and sanctions compliance and related contract questions.

Deep dive into employment law in Finland

• Employment Law in Finland – A Guide for Employers
• How to annul an employment contract during a trial period
• How to terminate employment on personal grounds

• We drafted a frame employment agreement and other employer policies necessary for smooth operations of the company, employees’ wellbeing and compliance with Finnish employment regulations. The work combined our Contracts and ESG & Sustainability expertise to ensure both legal compliance and practical HR implementation.

• Oscari Seppälä represented the employer in an employment-related dispute, securing a settlement. The case was handled in close cooperation with our Dispute Resolution & Arbitration team to reach a commercially sensible outcome.

• “From hiring to firing”. We regularly advise foreign companies on Finnish employment regulation, starting from recruitment and management contracts to employment termination and co-operation procedures (YT). These assignments are often connected to Corporate Law, Contracts and International Trade & Sanctions matters when companies enter or expand in the Finnish market.

Collective bargaining agreements in Finland | A Nordic peculiarity

Collective bargaining agreements play a crucial role in the Finnish labour market. These agreements can establish specific rules that modify or add to labour and employment law. Moreover, they override any conflicting employment contract terms if such terms are detrimental to the employee, as stated in the Collective Agreements Act (436/1946, as amended). Therefore, it is essential to thoroughly review whether a generally applicable collective bargaining agreement applies to your business sector. Our team regularly advises management and HR on these questions together with our Corporate Law & Governance and ESG & Sustainability practices.

General principles of employment law

Finnish employment legislation offers robust protection to employees, primarily because many employee rights are inalienable. Additionally, as a fundamental principle, both employment legislation and contracts are generally interpreted in favour of the employee. Finnish employment law also enforces a strict prohibition against discrimination. We help employers structure their HR processes, contracts and policies so that they comply with these principles in practice, often in combination with our Contracts & Commercial Agreements services and Corporate Law & Governance advisory on board and corporate governance matters.

Collective Bargaining Agreements | A Nordic peculiarity

Collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) play a crucial role in the Finnish labour market. These agreements may set binding rules that supplement or modify statutory employment law. Importantly, CBAs override any conflicting employment contract terms if such terms are less favourable to the employee, as provided in the Collective Agreements Act (436/1946, as amended).

It is therefore essential for employers to determine whether a generally applicable collective bargaining agreement applies to their business sector. Misinterpretation can lead to non-compliance, increased costs or employment disputes. Our Employment law team regularly advises management and HR on these questions, working closely with our Corporate Law & Governance and ESG & Sustainability practices to ensure full compliance and practical implementation.

Related services and expertise

Employment law matters rarely occur in isolation. They are often closely connected with contracts, corporate structures, workplace policies, cross-border business, transport operations or international trade. Explore related services:

• Our Services overview: All legal services we provide
• Contracts & Commercial Agreements
• Corporate Law & Governance
• Transport, Maritime & Logistics
• International Trade & Sanctions
• Insurance law and recourse claims

For employment-related disputes, investigations or negotiations, you can also contact our dispute resolution team .