If work stops for some reason, wages may not be paid

Work can stop for many reasons that you or your employer can’t control. The reason could be a fire or a serious natural event, for example. If the work stops for a reason that is not related to you or your employer, the employer can stop paying your wages. However, you have the right to get paid for 14 days.

A strike in another sector could also stop your work. If there is a strike that stops all work at your workplace (the workplace is closed), and your employer has no other work for you, the employer must only pay your wages for 7 days. If the work stops because the worker can not get to work, or it is very difficult, the employer does not have to pay any wages. Note: If you work nights, and there is no public transport (bus, local train, etc.) with a suitable route or schedule when your shift begins or ends, and you have no car or other vehicle, you may have the right to be transported to work. Night work means work that is done between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.

If you can not do your work, the employer may give you other work. This does not happen often, because if you start different work, you must have training in how to do the work and in safety. It is often too much work to start training a worker for different work if the normal work stops only for a short time.

Where do I get money?

The Unemployment Security Act (Työttömyysturvalaki) says that when your wages are not paid because there has been a fire, a natural disaster or another similar situation, you have the same rights as during a lay-off. You have the right to get unemployment allowance and an earnings-related allowance even if you are not really laid off.

The employer also has the right to lay you off for production-related and financial reasons. Stopping of work is such a reason. However, you must get a notice of the lay-off 14 days before the lay-off begins.

During a lay-off, you can get an earnings-related unemployment allowance. Read more on the Unemployment fund website.

Read more:

• Layoffs
• Pay security – if your employer can not pay your wages

Useful links

• Employment Contracts Act (pdf), Section 2, 12
• Unemployment Security Act (in Finnish)