Finland Employment Guide

Maternity Leave in Finland: A Comprehensive Guide

Employees in Finland are entitled to 105 working days of fully paid maternity leave. This leave period must commence no earlier than 30 days before the expected due date and conclude within 75 days following childbirth. The Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) provides a daily allowance of at least €29.05, with the exact amount calculated based on the employee's annual earnings. For instance, a marketing manager at SailGlobal earning €50,000 annually would receive a higher daily rate than the minimum. Parents can further extend this period using shared parental leave.

Paternity Leave Provisions

Fathers are granted 54 working days of paid paternity leave. A maximum of 18 days can be taken concurrently with maternity leave, while the remaining days must be used before the child's second birthday, split into no more than two separate periods. Similar to maternity benefits, Kela provides financial support starting from €29.05 per day, adjusted according to salary. Many international companies like SailGlobal encourage fathers to utilize this leave fully to promote work-life balance.

Shared Parental Leave Options

Finland offers 158 working days of parental leave that can be shared between both parents. This leave typically begins after maternity leave ends and allows flexible distribution—for example, one parent might take 100 days while the other takes 58. Kela's financial support applies here as well, with the possibility to extend leave until the child turns three. Unlike some countries where parental leave is an add-on, Finland integrates it seamlessly into its family support system.

Sick Leave Regulations

Employees can take up to 300 days of paid sick leave annually. For the first 10 days, employers cover 100% of wages if the employee has worked over one month (50% if less). From day 11 onward, Kela reimburses 40–60% of salary. A case study from SailGlobal showed that transparent sick leave policies reduce absenteeism by 15%.