Working Environment Act

  1. Chapter 1. Introductory provisions

  2. Chapter 2. Duties of employer and employees

  3. Chapter 2 A. Whistleblowing

  4. Chapter 3. Working environment measures

  5. Chapter 4. Requirements regarding the working environment

  6. Chapter 6. Safety representatives

  7. Chapter 7. Working environment committees

  8. Chapter 8. Information and consultation

  9. Chapter 9. Control measures in the undertaking

  10. Chapter 10. Working hours

  11. Chapter 11. Employment of children and young persons

  12. Chapter 12. Entitlement to leave of absence

  13. Chapter 13. Protection against discrimination

  14. Chapter 14. Appointment, etc.

    (1) The chief executive of an undertaking may be appointed for a fixed term.
    (2) Appointment for a fixed term may be agreed upon when deemed necessary as a result of an agreement with a foreign state or international organisation.

    (1) The temporary-work agency shall ensure that the workers that it hires out are at least given the conditions that would have applied if the worker had been recruited directly by the user undertaking to perform the same work regarding:
    1. a.
      the length and placement of working hours,
    2. b.
      overtime work,
    3. c.
      the length and placement of breaks and rest periods
    4. d.
      nightwork,
    5. e.
      holidays, holiday pay, days off and remuneration for such days, and
    6. f.
      pay and coverage of expenses.
    (2) Temporary agency workers shall be given access to the user undertaking's collective amenities and facilities on equal terms with direct employees of the user undertaking unless otherwise objectively justified.
    (3) The Ministry may in regulations decide whether and to what extent the provisions concerning equal treatment may be derogated from in collective agreements. The general worker protection provisions must in all cases be respected.

  15. Chapter 14 A. Agreements restricting competition in employment relationships

  16. Chapter 15. Termination of employment relationships

  17. Chapter 16. Rights of employees in the event of a transfer of ownership of undertakings

  18. Chapter 17. Disputes concerning working conditions

  19. Chapter 18. Regulatory supervision of the Act

    (1) The Labour Inspection Authority shall always have free access to any premises subject to the Act. Inspectors shall produce proof of their identity pursuant to section 15 of the Public Administration Act and, if possible, make contact with the employer and the safety representative. The safety representative may require that other representatives of the employees shall take part in the inspection. In undertakings where no safety representative has been elected, the inspectors shall, if possible, take contact with another representative of the employees.
    (2) The employer or his representative shall be entitled to be present during the inspection and may be so ordered. The inspectors may decide that such right shall not apply during interviews of employees or if the presence of the employer would entail a major inconvenience or endanger the purpose of the inspection.
    (3) Unless weighty considerations indicate otherwise, the Labour Inspection Authority shall provide the employer with a written report on the result of the inspection. A copy of this report shall be given to the safety representative and, if necessary, to the occupational health service.

  20. Chapter 19. Penal provisions

  21. Chapter 20. Final Provisions