Basics of working life

Labour market and agreement system

The terms and conditions of working life are controlled by three factors: labour laws, collective agreements made by employer and employee organisations and agreements made locally at companies and workplaces.

agreement system, collective labour agreements, local bargaining, public-service collective agreements

Making an employment contract

Written employment contracts are an easy way to check what has been agreed on. Use this checklist to see what an employment contract should contain.

employment contract, employment contracts, Employment Contracts Act

Occupational health and safety and well-being

The goal of well-being at work is to keep employees healthy and able to work throughout their careers.

labour protection, labour protection from mental stress, labour protection representative, well-being at work

Co-operation negotiations

Co-operation negotiations are used to discuss reasons possibly leading to notice of termination, lay-offs or the reduction of contracts to part-time contracts, their impacts and alternatives.

cooperation (industrial democracy), cooperation procedure, employee co-operation negotiations, instructions, notice of termination, temporary dismissal, transition assistance

Unemployment security

JHL’s members are also members of the unemployment fund. When the conditions are met, the fund creates security in case of unemployment that is higher than the basic unemployment allowance.

basic daily allowance, daily unemployment allowances, earnings-related allowance, income security for the unemployed, labour market subsidy, unemployment

Guides for immigrants

Welcome to the union! The brochure below is aimed at different immigrant groups and available in Arabic, English, Estonian, Finnish, French, Russian and Somali.