Today is the opening day of the Summer Job Helpline, provided jointly by the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions (SAK), Akava and the Finnish Confederation of Professionals (STTK). This year, all enquiries to the helpline will be handled by Anni Ritari, LL.B., M.Soc.Sc.
Summer Job Advisor Anni Ritari hopes that summer employees will feel comfortable enough to contact her regarding any concerns about summer work. Reading up on the rights and obligations of employees in advance can already prevent many potential problem situations.
‘You can call the Summer Job Helpline even before you sign an employment contract if you have any concerns. Employment contracts should be made in writing and reviewed thoroughly before signing’, Ritari emphasises.
Ritari points out that employees have a legal right to receive a written document containing the key terms and conditions of the job position, if the employment relationship will last more than one month.
Ritari estimates that the exceptional situation created by the corona pandemic will be reflected in the questions she receives. Callers can ask the service for advice on how to proceed if, for example, an agreed summer job is cancelled or the work amount changes from what has been agreed. She would like to remind callers that the service does not, however, provide leads on summer jobs.
Summer job guidance for young people still in demand
The free Summer Job Helpline will be providing advice for young summer employees for the 16th season already. The service provides answers to questions posed by thousands of young people as well as their parents and employers. All the questions are handled confidentially, so there is no need to be shy about asking for advice.
Although working life has changed in many ways over the years, the topics of the questions have remained largely the same. Each year, there seem to be a lot of questions dealing with, in particular, salaries and working hours. Questions concerning trial periods and work certificates also come up often.
The Summer Job Helpline will be open during the summer
The Summer Job Helpline opens Monday, 4 May and remains open until Friday, 28 August. The Helpline can be contacted weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. by phone at +358 (0)800 179 279 or on WhatsApp at +358 (0)40 747 1571. The service also provides an online enquiry form on the website of the Summer Job Helpline. The service provides advice in Finnish, Swedish and English. The service can also be contacted anonymously.
Basic information about summer work is available on the Summer Job Helpline website at www.kesaduunari.fi. Read through the frequently asked questions before contacting us. Additionally, it’s worthwhile to read through our online checklist.
The Summer Job Helpline is also on:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Photos of Summer Job Advisor Anni Ritari are available for media use at Dropbox.
Photographer Patrik Lindström
Additional information and interview requests
SAK Union Organiser Jussi Kukkola, tel. +358 (0)44 585 5285