What types of Employment Agreements does Horizons typically use in Finland?

In Finland, employment agreements generally default to indefinite terms, emphasizing job security and long-term engagement for employees.
Horizons follows these Finnish standards closely, offering indefinite contracts as the standard and only using fixed-term contracts in specific, legally defined situations.


1. Standard Employment Agreement: Indefinite Contract

In most cases, Horizons provides indefinite-term contracts for employment in Finland. This type of contract is suitable for both full-time and part-time positions, aligning with Finland's typical approach that prioritizes stability and ongoing employment.

  • Default Type: Indefinite (permanent) employment contract
  • Applicability: Available for both full-time and part-time roles


2. Rarely Offered: Fixed-Term Contracts

Fixed-term contracts in Finland are tightly regulated and are only issued by Horizons under specific conditions. Finnish law allows fixed-term employment only when there is a justifiable reason to limit the duration of the contract. Fixed-term contracts must specify the reason for the term limit in the employment agreement.


Eligible Reasons for Fixed-Term Contracts:

Fixed-term contracts may only be issued in circumstances such as:

  • Substitution: For example, filling in for an employee on parental leave.
  • Project of Fixed Duration: For instance, a research project or a development phase with a clear end date.
  • One-Off Task: Tasks that have a defined short-term goal.
  • Seasonal Work: Seasonal roles, such as positions that depend on Finland’s agricultural or tourism seasons.
  • Study-Related Internship: Internships tied to educational programs.
  • Fixed-Term Apprenticeship: Apprenticeship programs that follow a structured learning period.
  • Other Unique Business Needs: In cases where the nature of the employer's operations or a specific aspect of the job requires a limited duration.


Duration and Renewal Limits:

Horizons adheres to strict limits regarding the duration and renewal of fixed-term contracts:

  • Maximum Duration: One year
  • Renewal Policy: Fixed-term contracts can only be renewed up to a maximum total duration of one year.
  • Conversion to Indefinite: If the duration of a fixed-term contract exceeds one year, it is automatically converted to an indefinite-term contract by law.

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