Does Finland have 4-day work week legislation?

Former PM Sanna Marin suggested a 4-day week or 6-hour workday in 2019, but no legislation was ever introduced. The current Orpo government has not pursued reduced working hours. Finland's 2020 Working Time Act instead focuses on flexible scheduling rights.

What is the average work week in Finland?

The average working hours in Finland is 36.5 hours per week, according to 2024 OECD data.

How many vacation days do workers get in Finland?

Workers in Finland receive a minimum of 25 statutory vacation days per year.

What is the government position on the 4-day work week in Finland?

The government of Finland has shown limited support for the 4-day work week movement.

4 Day Week in Finland (2026): Trials & Culture

Finland 4 Day Workweek

Finland does not officially have a 4 day work week, but there has been growing interest in the reduced working model.

The idea gained momentum when Finland's Prime Minister, Sanna Marin, suggested the possibility of a four-day workweek or six-hour workdays during a panel discussion in 2019, prior to her tenure as Prime Minister.

However, this was more of an aspirational statement rather than a policy directive. As of now, the Finnish government has explicitly stated that there are no plans to introduce a four-day workweek at a national level.

Finland's Working Hours Act and Its Impact

Finland’s focus on flexible work arrangements is not just based on speculative ideas; it is deeply rooted in the country's legislative framework.

The Working Hours Act was originally passed in 1996 and has been a cornerstone of Finland's approach to work-life balance.

This law allows employees considerable flexibility in managing their work schedules, granting them the right to start or finish their workday up to three hours earlier or later than the standard hours set by their employer.

In 2020, the Working Hours Act was further modernized to reflect the changing nature of work. The updated legislation expanded on the original act by allowing employees to decide not only their working hours but also their location for at least half of their working time.

While the Working Hours Act has laid the groundwork for flexible working conditions, the discussion around a four-day workweek in Finland is still in its early stages.

Vacation Policy in Finland

In Finland, employees are entitled to 2.5 days of paid vacation per month after a full year of employment, totaling 5 full weeks of paid vacation annually (or 25 days).

This vacation is typically divided into 4 weeks of summer vacation and 1 week of winter vacation.

Here are some more details about Finland's leave policies:

Sick leave: Employees in Finland can take up to 9 working days of paid sick leave per year. After these 9 days, the government covers the sick leave pay, with a total coverage of up to 300 days.
Pregnancy leave: The duration of pregnancy leave is 40 working days, usually starting 30 weekdays before the estimated delivery date.
Parental leave: Parents are entitled to a total of 320 working days of parental leave, which is roughly 14 months. This leave is divided equally, with each parent eligible for 160 working days (around 7 months).
Childcare Sick Leave: Employees who are parents are entitled to up to 4 days of childcare sick leave per year.

Public Holidays in Finland

There are 15 national public holidays in Finland.

New Year’s Day (January 1)
Epiphany (January 6)
Good Friday (March 29)
Easter Sunday (March 31)
Easter Monday (April 1)
Labor Day (May 1)
Ascension Day (May 9)
Whit Sunday (May 19)
Midsummer Eve (June 21)
Midsummer Day (June 22)
All Saints’ Day (November 2)
Independence Day (December 6)
Christmas Eve (December 24)
Christmas Day (December 25)
St. Stephen’s Day (December 26)

Overtime in Finland

Overtime work in Finland is strictly regulated to ensure fair compensation and to protect workers' rights and it can only be performed with the explicit consent of the employee.

The total working hours, including overtime, must not exceed an average of 48 hours per week over a four-month period. This regulation is designed to prevent employee burnout and ensure a healthy work-life balance.

Compensation for Overtime

Increased pay: Overtime work is compensated at a higher rate than regular hours. The first two hours of daily overtime are paid at a 50% increase over the regular wage, while any additional hours are compensated at double the regular pay (100% increase). For weekly overtime, a 50% increase is applied.
Alternative compensation: Instead of higher pay, employers and employees may agree to compensate overtime with time off, but this must comply with regulations set out in the Working Hours Act.

Part-time Working in Finland

In Finland, part-time work is generally defined as working fewer hours than the standard full-time schedule, which is typically 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

Finnish labor laws ensure that part-time workers are entitled to the same rights and benefits as full-time employees on a pro-rata basis. This includes entitlements such as holiday pay, sick leave, and access to training and career development opportunities.

According to EUROSTAT data, Finland's part-time employment rate stood at 14.90% as of December 2023.

Remote Working in Finland

Remote working in Finland has seen significant adoption, especially following the COVID-19 pandemic, but it was already well-established even before then. In 2022, Finland ranked fifth in Europe for the proportion of workers engaging in remote work.

Finnish employment law does not specifically define remote work, but standard employment regulations apply to it. Remote work arrangements are based on mutual agreement between employer and employee, with no inherent right for employees to demand it, nor can employers enforce it without exceptional circumstances.

In 2023, remote work continued to be widespread, with 35% of wage and salary earners in Finland working remotely, according to Statistics Finland's Quality of Work Life Survey. This high rate of remote work reflects the country’s strong integration of flexible working arrangements into its labor market.

4 Day Work Week in Finland

Overview