Ending an employment relationship

When the employer or the employee cancels a contract that is valid until further notice, it ends after the period of notice.

The employer may not cancel an employment contract without a proper and weighty reason. These reasons may be due to

  • the employee
  • economic and production-related reasons and a restructuring of the employer's operations.

An employee who has neglected their duties in the employment relationship may not be dismissed before a warning has been issued and they have thus had a chance of rectifying the neglect.

Periods of notice that apply to an employer

Uninterrupted duration of the employment relationship Period of notice
Up to 1 year 14 days
1–4 years 1 month
4–8 years 2 months
8–12 years 4 months
More than 12 years 6 months

 

Periods of notice that apply to an employee

Uninterrupted duration of the employment relationship Period of notice
Up to 5 years 14 days
More than 5 years 1 month

 

When an employment relationship is terminated, it ends with immediate effect without a period of notice. During a trial period, the employment contract may be terminated by either party. An employment contract may not be terminated during a trial period because of discriminatory or inappropriate reasons.

An employment contract can only be terminated for an extremely weighty reason. As a weighty reason will be deemed the fact that one of the parties is guilty of such a serious breach or neglect of their duties that the other party can no longer be expected to continue the employment relationship even for the period of notice.

Register with the TE Office as a jobseeker

Register as a jobseeker at the latest on the first day of your unemployment by clicking on the E-services button on the right. (in Finnish)