Statutory Benefits

In Finland, statutory benefits often refer to statutory insurance coverage, occupational healthcare services and the employee benefits employers are obligated to provide in different collective agreements.

In most cases, occupational healthcare services are financed through insurance. In addition, depending on the sector, the collective agreement of the sector may make it compulsory for employers to provide certain employee benefits.

In Finland, employers are obligated to take out a statutory occupational accident and illness insurance, which is one of the statutory benefits.

The insurance is part of Finland’s statutory social security. The statutory social security also includes illness, unemployment and pension insurance, for example.

What is the employer responsible for?

Employers are responsible for determining which statutory benefits and requirements are related to their business.

It is also good to assess the need for additional benefits that could improve job satisfaction and well-being at work.

In doing so, at least the following things should be considered:

• what insurances are compulsory
• what insurances are needed by the employees
• what level of occupational healthcare is compulsory and if there is a need for more extensive services
• what safety requirements are related to the company’s activities
• does the sector’s collective agreement, for example, require employers to provide certain employee benefits
• what payment and declaration requirements related to pensions are related to the company’s activities
• what should be reported and submitted to authorities and when.

Statutory insurance coverage

The Workers’ Compensation Act of Finland, which all employers are obligated to comply with, prescribes insurances, accidents to be compensated and the sums of compensation.

Employers must arrange coverage for occupational accidents and illnesses for its employees in an employment relationship and take out an insurance policy.

Insurance companies are obligated to provide insurance whenever an employer requests one. Employers can also include voluntary leisure time insurance and additional coverage in the insurance at their discretion.

Occupational healthcare

All employees in an employment relationship must be provided with access to occupational healthcare services.

The employer, an employee representative and the occupational healthcare service provider plan together the content and actions of occupational healthcare according to the needs of the workplace.

They also monitor and assess the effectiveness and performance of occupational healthcare services.

Our experts are happy to compare different options and select the occupational healthcare service provider most suitable for your company’s needs.

Employee benefits based on collective agreements

In different sectors, there are certain compulsory additional benefits specified in the currently valid collective agreement.

For example, in the insurance sector, the collective agreement may make it compulsory for employers to offer a meal benefit (in practice, a lunch benefit).

Our experts are happy to help you with the statutory obligations of your company and, if necessary, to find and arrange bidding for additional benefits. Let’s prepare an employee benefits program that meets your company’s needs together.