Managing employee leave and vacation entitlements is a crucial aspect of workforce management, ensuring compliance with local labor laws and promoting employee well-being. In the Aland Islands, which largely follow Finnish labor legislation, employees are entitled to various types of leave, including annual vacation, public holidays, sick leave, and parental leave, among others. Understanding these entitlements is essential for employers operating in the region to maintain fair and lawful employment practices.
Compliance with Aland Islands' leave regulations requires careful attention to detail regarding accrual periods, eligibility criteria, payment obligations, and procedural requirements for requesting and granting leave. Employers must ensure their policies align with the statutory minimums and correctly administer leave types to avoid potential legal issues and support a positive working environment for their employees.
Annual Vacation Leave
Employees in the Aland Islands are entitled to annual vacation leave based on their length of service during the holiday year, which runs from April 1st to March 31st. The entitlement is earned during the earning year, which corresponds to the holiday year.
- Entitlement:
- For employees whose employment has lasted less than one year by the end of the earning year (March 31st), the entitlement is 2 working days of holiday for each full calendar month of employment.
- For employees whose employment has lasted at least one year by the end of the earning year (March 31st), the entitlement is 2.5 working days of holiday for each full calendar month of employment.
- Calculation: Working days include weekdays from Monday to Saturday, excluding public holidays. A full calendar month of employment is one where the employee has worked at least 14 days or 35 hours.
- Timing: The main holiday period (summer holiday) typically consists of 24 working days and is usually granted between May 2nd and September 30th. Any remaining holiday days (winter holiday) are typically granted between October 1st and April 30th of the following year.
- Holiday Pay: Employees are entitled to holiday pay during their vacation. The calculation of holiday pay depends on whether the employee receives a fixed monthly salary or is paid hourly/per performance. Generally, it includes the regular salary plus a holiday bonus (often 50% of the holiday pay for the main holiday period, though this can vary by collective agreement).
Public Holidays
Public holidays in the Aland Islands generally follow the Finnish calendar. Employees are typically entitled to time off on these days, often with compensation, depending on the employment contract or collective agreement. If a public holiday falls on a day an employee would normally work, it may be treated as a paid day off. Work performed on public holidays is usually compensated at a higher rate (e.g., double pay).
Here are the standard public holidays observed:
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day |
| January 6 | Epiphany |
| March/April | Good Friday |
| March/April | Easter Sunday |
| March/April | Easter Monday |
| May 1 | May Day (Vappu) |
| May/June | Ascension Day |
| May/June | Whit Sunday |
| June | Midsummer's Eve |
| June | Midsummer's Day |
| November | All Saints' Day |
| December 6 | Independence Day |
| December 24 | Christmas Eve |
| December 25 | Christmas Day |
| December 26 | St. Stephen's Day (Boxing Day) |
Note: Dates for Good Friday, Easter, Ascension Day, Whit Sunday, Midsummer, and All Saints' Day vary each year.
Sick Leave
Employees in the Aland Islands are entitled to sick leave if they are unable to work due to illness or injury. The process involves notifying the employer and providing a medical certificate if the absence exceeds a certain period (often after 1-3 days, depending on the employer's policy or collective agreement).
- Sick Pay:
- For the first day of absence (the waiting day), the employee typically does not receive pay, unless otherwise stipulated in a collective agreement or employment contract.
- From the second day of absence, the employer is generally obligated to pay sick pay for a period of up to 10 working days. The amount is usually 100% of the employee's regular wage.
- If the illness continues beyond 10 working days, the employee becomes eligible for sickness allowance from Kela (the Social Insurance Institution of Finland). The Kela allowance replaces the employer's sick pay obligation after the initial period.
- Duration: The right to sick pay from the employer is typically linked to the length of employment. For short-term employment, the employer's sick pay period might be shorter. Kela sickness allowance can be paid for a maximum of 300 working days for the same illness.
Parental Leave
The Finnish system, applicable in Aland, provides comprehensive parental leave options, allowing parents to balance work and family life. These benefits are primarily paid by Kela.
- Maternity Allowance: Paid to the mother for a period starting typically 30 working days before the estimated due date, lasting for a total of 40 working days.
- Parental Allowance: After the maternity allowance period, parents are entitled to parental allowance. The total duration is 320 working days for one child (or 440 for multiple births). If the child has two parents, the allowance period is divided equally between them (160 working days each), but parts of the allowance can be transferred to the other parent. Single parents are entitled to the full 320 working days.
- Paternity Allowance: Under the current system (prior to reforms), fathers had a separate paternity leave entitlement, often taken concurrently with the mother or later. With reforms, the system shifted towards shared parental allowance days.
- Adoption Leave: Similar allowances are available for parents adopting a child, starting from the date the child is placed in their care.
- Child Care Leave: After the parental allowance period ends, either parent can take child care leave to care for their child until the child turns three years old. This leave is unpaid by the employer, but parents may be eligible for child care allowance from Kela.
- Partial Parental Leave: Parents can also opt for partial parental leave, working reduced hours (e.g., half-time) and receiving a partial allowance from Kela.
During parental leave periods where Kela pays the allowance, the employer is generally not obligated to pay salary, although some collective agreements may stipulate payment for a portion of the leave.
Other Leave Types
Beyond the main categories, employees in the Aland Islands may be entitled to other types of leave, often governed by specific laws, collective agreements, or employer policies.
- Temporary Childcare Leave: An employee is entitled to temporary leave to care for a child under 10 years old who has suddenly fallen ill. This leave can last for a maximum of four working days. The employer is not typically obligated to pay salary during this leave, but some collective agreements may provide for it.
- Bereavement Leave: While not strictly mandated by law, many employers and collective agreements grant a short period of paid or unpaid leave in the event of the death of a close family member.
- Study Leave: Employees may be entitled to study leave for educational purposes, subject to certain conditions regarding length of service and the nature of the studies. This leave is typically unpaid.
- Sabbatical Leave: Some collective agreements or employer policies may allow for extended unpaid leave (sabbatical) after a certain period of service, though this is not a statutory right for all employees.
- Leave for Compelling Family Reasons: Employees may be entitled to urgent family leave due to an unforeseen and compelling reason resulting from an illness or accident requiring their immediate presence. This leave is typically unpaid.
