Can I take sick leave on my own notice in Finland?
If your workplace practice allows it — the law itself knows no self-notice. Calling in sick without a certificate (typically 1–3 days) rests on the collective agreement or employer policy, not on statute: an employer may demand a doctor's certificate from the first day, as long as the requirement is applied even-handedly. Sick pay, by contrast, is statutory: full pay for the day you fall ill plus the following 9 weekdays once employment has lasted at least a month — 50 % in shorter relationships. After that Kela's sickness allowance takes over, and many collective agreements extend employer-paid periods. Illness must be reported without delay.
📋 The rules
- Self-notice practice (1–3 days without a certificate) comes from the collective agreement or company policy — employers may also demand a certificate from the first day.
- Statutory sick pay: full pay for the day of falling ill + the following 9 weekdays after at least a month of employment; 50% in shorter employment.
- Illness must be reported to the employer without delay — failing to report can stop pay and ground a warning.
- After the 9 weekdays, Kela's sickness allowance carries on (waiting period + application) — many collective agreements extend employer-paid periods.
- Sick leave is for recovering: travelling or gig work during it can breach your duties if it slows recovery.
🔓 Exceptions
- For a sick child under 10 you may take temporary care leave of up to 4 working days — pay depends on the collective agreement.
- With suspiciously repeating self-notices the employer may justifiably return to requiring certificates — applied even-handedly.
- In employment shorter than one month sick pay is 50 % — full pay does not apply to a brand-new employment relationship.
⚠️ Penalties
Unjustified absence or a false notice breaches your work duties: a warning, and repeated, even grounds for termination — and trust goes in one move. Failing to report at all can stop your pay entirely, even when you are genuinely ill. In the other direction: unpaid statutory sick pay is collected retroactively with penalty interest, and your union or the occupational safety authority helps in a dispute. Gig work or travel that slows recovery during sick leave can itself turn into a breach of duty — sick leave exists for recovering.
📎 Sources
- Finlex · Employment Contracts Act 55/2001 (ch. 2 s. 11) →
- Kela · Sickness allowance →
- Occupational Safety Administration · Sick pay →
❓ Frequently asked questions
How many days can I self-report?
The law names no number — typical workplace practice is 1–3 days for short illnesses. Check your collective agreement and company policy: without such a practice, a certificate can be demanded from day one.
Is sick leave paid?
Yes: full pay for the day of falling ill and the following 9 weekdays, once employment has lasted at least a month. After that comes Kela's allowance — many collective agreements extend employer-paid pay.
Can a certificate be required for one day?
Yes — certificate practice is the employer's to set, as long as it is even-handed and does not discriminate. You cannot claim a right to self-notice from the law if your workplace has no such practice.
Can I go to the shop while on sick leave?
Yes — sick leave is not house arrest. What matters is that the activity does not slow your recovery or flatly contradict the illness: gig work or a holiday trip can turn into a breach of duty.
What if I have worked less than a month?
Then sick pay is 50 % of your wage, not full pay. Full pay for the day of illness and the following 9 weekdays applies only once employment has lasted at least a month. The duty to report without delay applies from day one.
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