At a glance
- Finnish law provides default notice periods of 14 days to six months for an employer and 14 days or one month for an employee, based on continuous service.
- These are defaults, not universal statutory minimums. A valid employment-contract or collective-agreement term may provide otherwise, subject to statutory limits.
- The employment relationship normally continues throughout notice. Releasing an employee from work does not by itself end the employer’s pay obligations.
- A notice period answers when employment ends. It does not by itself provide a lawful ground for dismissal, and notice pay is not the same as severance.
The notice period in Finland depends first on the employment contract and applicable collective agreement. If neither validly provides another period, the defaults in Chapter 6 of the Employment Contracts Act apply. Check those documents before communicating an end date. The legal ground and procedure for dismissal are separate questions.
Default notice periods in Finland
The following periods apply unless another notice period has been validly agreed.
Notice given by the employer
| Continuous length of employment | Notice period |
|---|---|
| Up to and including 1 year | 14 days |
| More than 1 year and up to and including 4 years | 1 month |
| More than 4 years and up to and including 8 years | 2 months |
| More than 8 years and up to and including 12 years | 4 months |
| More than 12 years | 6 months |
Notice given by the employee
| Continuous length of employment | Notice period |
|---|---|
| Up to and including 5 years | 14 days |
| More than 5 years | 1 month |
Service must be continuous. Successive fixed-term contracts separated only by brief interruptions may count as uninterrupted when employment benefits are determined, so review the full contract history.
Which notice-period term applies?
The statutory table is the fallback. A notice period may be agreed in an employment contract for no more than six months. If a longer period is written into the contract, the statutory cap reduces it to six months. The employee’s agreed period may not be longer than the employer’s; if the employer’s agreed period is shorter, the employee may use that shorter period.
An applicable collective agreement may set different notice periods. A generally binding agreement can also apply to an employer that does not belong to an employers’ association. Check whether its notice-period clause allows individual agreements; neither a contract nor a collective agreement gives an unrestricted right to set aside mandatory law.
In an international contract, a choice-of-law clause does not automatically remove mandatory employee protections applicable under conflict-of-laws rules. See also employment contracts in Finland.
How to calculate the start and end date
A notice period starts on the day after notice is received. The day of receipt is not counted. The period runs in calendar time, so weekends and public holidays do not pause it.
For a period expressed in days, count the stated number of calendar days beginning with the day after receipt. For example, if a 14-day notice is received on 3 March, the period runs from 4 March through 17 March and employment ends on 17 March.
For a period expressed in months, employment normally ends on the day with the corresponding number in the final month. If two months’ notice is received on 15 March, employment ends on 15 May. If the final month has no corresponding date, the period ends on that month’s last day.
State the intended final day in the notice, but verify it first. A wrong date can create an unpaid-notice-period claim.
Receipt and service of notice
An employer must deliver a termination notice to the employee in person. An employee resigning must deliver notice in person to the employer or its representative. If personal delivery is not possible, notice may be sent by post or electronically. It is then deemed received no later than the seventh day after dispatch; this does not mean receipt always occurs exactly seven days later.
A special rule protects an employee who is on annual leave or at least two weeks’ leave granted for working-time adjustment. A notice sent to the employee by post or electronically is then treated as delivered no earlier than the day after that leave ends. Employers should avoid relying on a routine email timestamp and should keep evidence of the method and time of delivery.
Pay and release from duties during notice
Employment normally continues throughout the notice period. The employee works and the employer pays salary on the usual pay dates. The employer can release the employee from the duty to work, but this does not by itself remove the duty to pay salary for the remaining notice period.
Put any release in writing. Identify the final date, salary, availability, return of property, confidentiality and benefits. Benefit entitlement may depend on its terms and mandatory law. Check holiday accrual and unused holiday under the Annual Holidays Act and applicable collective agreement.
Calculate the full cost and plan system access and handover. Do not call the arrangement immediate termination if employment continues on paid notice.
What if the notice period is not observed?
If an employer ends employment without observing the required period, the employee is generally entitled to full pay corresponding to the unobserved period. If an employee leaves without observing the required period, the statutory consequence is generally a lump-sum payment corresponding to that period’s salary. Where only part of the period is missed, the amount is proportionate to the unobserved part.
Do not automatically deduct the claim from final salary. Restrictions on set-off and the protected portion of pay may require separate recovery, especially where liability is disputed.
Failure to observe notice does not answer every question about legal effect. The ground, procedure, timing and remedy require separate assessment.
Notice period, lawful dismissal and severance are different
An employer cannot dismiss an employee merely because it is willing to observe the notice period. It must also have a valid ground under current Finnish law and follow the applicable procedure. Conversely, the length of notice does not decide whether the ground is valid.
Finland has no general statutory severance based solely on length of service. Notice salary, compensation for missed notice, holiday compensation and separate severance are distinct. Another agreement or restructuring arrangement may create additional rights.
Special situations to identify early
- Probation. A lawful probationary termination can take effect without a notice period, but its ground and procedure remain regulated.
- Termination with immediate effect. This requires the stringent statutory conditions for immediate termination; it is not simply a shorter form of ordinary dismissal.
- Fixed-term employment. A fixed-term contract normally ends on expiry and cannot ordinarily be terminated early on notice unless a contract term or statutory rule permits it. Since 1 June 2026, a specific rule allows certain first fixed-term contracts made without a justified reason under Chapter 1, section 3(3) to be terminated after six months. The grounds and procedure are those for an indefinite contract. This is not a general six-month break clause for every fixed-term contract.
- Lay-off. Separate rules govern resignation and employer termination during a lay-off, including notice pay and certain time limits. Do not apply the ordinary table without checking those rules.
- Bankruptcy and restructuring. Special notice routes exist, but shorter periods do not apply to every distressed employer. The proceeding, statutory ground and party giving notice matter.
An employer’s practical checklist
- Confirm the legal ground and process separately from the notice period.
- Check the contract, collective agreement and continuous service.
- Use a provable delivery method and account for the special leave rule.
- Record the final day, pay, benefits, holiday treatment and any release from work.
- Obtain a case-specific review before deductions or reliance on a special rule.
For assistance with a planned termination, contract wording or notice-period calculation, see employment-law services.
Frequently asked questions
What is the statutory notice period in Finland?
The default period for an employer ranges from 14 days to six months, depending on continuous service. For an employee, it is 14 days for up to and including five years of service and one month after that. A valid contract or collective-agreement term may provide otherwise.
When does a notice period start?
It normally starts on the day after notice is received. The notice day is excluded, and the period runs in calendar time. The delivery method and special leave rules can affect when receipt is deemed to occur.
Can an employee be released from work during notice?
Yes. The employer can release the employee from the duty to work, but employment and salary obligations normally continue until the stated end date. Benefits and annual-holiday treatment should be checked individually.
Is notice pay the same as severance?
No. Notice pay reflects continuing employment or compensation for an unobserved notice period. Finland does not have a general statutory severance payment based only on length of service, although another agreement or arrangement may provide one.
Does observing notice make a dismissal lawful?
No. Notice regulates timing. An employer must also have a valid dismissal ground under current Finnish law and follow the applicable process.
Sources and further information
- Employment Contracts Act (55/2001), particularly Chapters 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 (current Finnish text, including Act 412/2026).
- Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Periods of notice (English guidance, updated 12 June 2026).
- YTK Worklife: Period of notice (English guidance on calculating the final day).
English adaptation prepared on 4 October 2026. Based on the Finnish guide last updated in July 2026. This guide provides general information and is not a substitute for advice on your specific situation.
