The national labour confederations of Finland (SAK, Akava and STTK) are reopening their summer job information service today, with law student Liisa Lehtonen taking charge of the advisory service hotline this year.
Lehtonen hopes that summer employees will not hesitate to get in touch if they have any concerns about their employment. Carefully considering the rights and duties of an employee in advance can also help to stop things turning sour as the work progresses.
“You can call the summer job information service even before making the employment contract if any aspect of it causes concern,” Liisa Lehtonen points out, stressing the importance of putting the contract in writing.
“It’s always a good idea to study the written contract carefully before signing it.”
The right of a summer employee to written terms and conditions of employment was a subject of many enquiries made to the service last year. An employee is entitled by law to a written account of the key terms and conditions governing any job that lasts for longer than one month.
Employment advice for young people still needed
The free advisory service is now in its 15th summer season, and has responded to thousands of queries from young workers, their parents and employers over the years. All enquiries are handled in confidence, so there is no reason to be nervous about asking for help.
The enquiries submitted to the service have remained much the same, even though the world of work continues to evolve. A great many questions always seem to concern wages and working hours, and trial periods are another frequently discussed topic.
Summer job advisory service open until the end of August
The summer job advisory service will be open from Thursday 2 May until Friday 30 August. Call 0800 179 279 to contact the advisor between 09.00 and 15.00 on ordinary weekdays. There is also an electronic contact form on the advisory service website. Advice will be available in Finnish, Swedish and English. You may also contact the service anonymously.
The summer job advisory service website at www.kesaduunari.fi already includes a list of answers to frequently asked questions and a handy checklist of points to remember when taking a summer job.
Summer job advice is also available on the following social media Facebook, Twitter ja Instagram.