Terms and conditions of employment relationships

The legal status of civil servants is laid down in the State Civil Servants Act and the related decree, and the legal status of personnel on an ordinary employment contract is covered by the Employment Contracts Act. The legislation on collective agreements for state civil servants is complemented by the main collective agreement, which includes an agreement on the collective bargaining regarding state civil servants. 

The terms and conditions of employment relationships for civil servants and employees under contract are agreed in the Collective Agreement for State Civil Servants and Employees Under Contract at central level and in separate collective agreements for civil servants and employees under contract at agency level, in accordance with the government's system of negotiation and agreements. Collective agreements for civil servants and employees under contract specific to agencies or administrative branches are made by the agreement agencies for themselves and their administrative branches; there are approximately 60 such agencies altogether. These agreements are mainly used to agree on specific issues regarding wages and working hours, and they are approved by the Ministry of Finance.