If the employee got sick

The employer pays for sick leave for the first 9 consecutive working days. If there is at least one working day when the employee came to work and then went back on sick leave, the count of days paid by the employer for sick leave restarts. For example, an employee was on sick leave for 3 days. Then he returned to work for one day and fell ill again for 9 days. In this case, the employer is obliged to pay for both sick leaves. If the employee was on sick leave for 12 working days, then the employer must pay only the first 9 days, and the patient receives the remaining 3 days from Kela.

The employer is not obligated to pay for the diagnosis and treatment of the employee if he voluntarily did not include this service in his Työterveyshuolto contract with the medical center.

By law, the employer must pay the medical center for the assessment of the employee's work capacity at the request of Kela, if the employee has been on sick leave for more than 60 days. The cost of this work includes a preliminary assessment of the employee's work capacity, made by a nurse, then a mandatory assessment made by a occupational health doctor, as well as potential research and consultations with other specialist doctors. If the sick leave continues, there may be several such assessments in the future.

An employer cannot dismiss an employee while they are on sick leave.

Partial financial responsibility for a worker's disability due to health is borne only by companies that employ more than 50 people.

Every employer is obliged to pay for insurance against accidents in the workplace. Typically, the insurance covers the cost of treatment and sick leave for the injured employee. The insurance company can refuse to cover costs if the employer did not comply with safety regulations.

Työterveyshuolto reduces the number of accidents at the workplace because the employer cannot always assess all health risks for employees themselves. Specialists can point out the need for additional prevention and protection measures. Työterveyshuolto helps reduce the duration and frequency of sick leaves due to evaluation of working conditions that may affect employees suffering from chronic diseases.

An employee can turn to the medical center with which his employer has concluded a Työterveyshuolto contract, only if such an opportunity is voluntarily included by the employer in this contract. He can also consult a doctor in municipal or private healthcare.

The employer has the right to require the employee to obtain a sick leave only from the medical center with which a contract has been signed. The employer must stipulate this in writing in the contract with the employee.

As a rule, seeing the same doctor contributes to a reduction in the number and duration of sick leaves, because the doctor already knows the health status of the worker and the harmful effects at his workplace.

If a contract between a company and a medical center includes treatment for employees, then the employer pays for it. Otherwise, the employee decides where to get treatment - in public or private healthcare at their own expense.