Government submits proposal for family leave reform to Parliament

The aim of the family leave reform is to increase the wellbeing of children and families and to strengthen gender equality and non-discrimination in working life and in the daily lives of families. The measures to achieve this aim include more flexible and longer family leaves and equal quotas of daily allowance days for both parents, some of which can be transferred to the other parent. The new family leave model treats all children equally, irrespective of the type of the family.

According to the government proposal for the family leave reform, amendments would be made to the Health Insurance Act, the Employment Contracts Act and the Act on Early Childhood Education and Care. In addition, amendments are proposed to the Act on Child Home Care Allowance and Private Care Allowance, the Unemployment Security Act, the Act on Client Fees in Early Childhood Education and Care and a total of 24 other Acts. The reform will also implement the Work-life Balance Directive. Because of the Directive, the Government proposes that employees be entitled to unpaid carers’ leave for a maximum of five days per calendar year. 

In finalising the legislative package, the Government took account of the feedback received during consultations with organisations and the spring 2021 consultation round and of the views of the Finnish Council of Regulatory Impact Analysis.

The reform is due to enter into force on 1 August 2022.

Minister of Social Affairs and Health Hanna Sarkkinen and Minister of Employment Tuula Haatainen will hold a press conference on the family leave reform on Friday 17 September at 9.30. Watch the press conference live at: 

• Live broadcast of the press conference on the Government’s YouTube channel
• Recording of the press conference on YouTube and at vn.fi/live 
• The event will be interpreted into sign language. 
• Simultaneous interpretation in Swedish will be available on Yle Arenan.
• Government proposal to Parliament for acts amending the Health Insurance Act, the Employment Contracts Act and the Act on Early Childhood Education and Care and for related Acts (family leave reform)

Inquiries:

Liisa Siika-aho, Director, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel.  +358 295163085
Eva Ojala, Ministerial Adviser, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358295163201
Seija Jalkanen, Chief Specialist, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295048952
Jiri Sironen, Special Adviser to the Minister of Social Affairs and Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295163410
Iiris Niinikoski, Special Adviser to the Minister of Employment, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, tel. +358 295047372
Tuulia Nieminen, Communications Specialist, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, tel. +358 295163635
Email addresses are in the format [email protected] and [email protected]. 
The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health and the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment will take into use new email addresses with a single ‘gov.fi’ suffix on 20 September 2021. After that, email addresses will be in the format [email protected].