Civil service law
Duties involving the exercise of public authority can primarily be performed only by civil servants in a public office relationship. For this reason, such a relationship is the chief form of service relationship used for government employees. Public office relationships are governed by specific responsibilities laid down in the Constitution (731/1999) as pertaining to holders of public office.
According to the State Civil Servants Act (750/1994), a public office relationship is a service relationship governed by public law, in which the state is the employer and the civil servant is the performer of the duties in question. A public office relationship is formed based on the required, unilateral administrative action involving a recommendation to recruit, i.e. an appointment. The duties of civil servants cannot be agreed separately.
The legal status of employees with an employment contract is regulated by the Employment Contracts Act (55/2001).
Further information
Hospitality, benefits and gifts, 1.11.2023File opens in a new tab pdf 166kB
State of Civil Service Ethics in Finland, August 2017Link to an external website
Recommendations of the Committee, 17 June 2014File opens in a new tab pdf 84kB
Guideline: Outside employment of public officials, March 2017File opens in a new tab pdf 203kB
Values to be part of the daily job (publication 30 August 2005)File opens in a new tab pdf 398kB
Picture: Values into practise, May 2015
Civil Service Ethics (publication 31 March 2000)File opens in a new tab pdf 715kB
TI - Transparency InternationalLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
OECD Ethics and Corruption in the Public SectorLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
Public Sector Integrity: A framework for assessmentLink to an external websiteOpens in a new tab
Position and service relationships of senior management
Leaders selection and career management
Contact information
Miska Lautiainen
Senior Ministerial Adviser, Legislative Affairs
Tel. +358 2955 30212
firstname.lastname@gov.fi