The national labour confederations of Finland (SAK, Akava and STTK) are reopening their summer job information service on Monday 2 May, providing free telephone and online advice to hundreds of summer employees. This annual service will now operate for its 12th season.
Summer job advisor Sini Tervo will be available to answer questions on a wide range of work-related issues, including wages, work shifts and employment contracts:
“The summer job advisory service will respond to all enquiries. Besides young employees, we also provide free advice to their parents and employers. If a problem requires more detailed individual action, then we refer the case to the caller’s trade union,” Tervo explains.
Experience has shown that most of the problems encountered by summer employees could have been prevented by making a written employment contract at an early stage:
“A written employment contract shows that the employer and the summer employee have reached a common understanding on their relationship. The employee should read the contract carefully before signing it, and it’s also a good idea to check the number of working hours that have been promised,” Tervo points out.
The payslip provided on payday is also an important document in summer work:
“Employees should always check the payslip to make sure that it includes all of the hours worked, and that it specifies any bonuses for evening, weekend and overtime work. People often forget that holiday compensation must also be paid, even when a job only takes a few hours,” Sini Tervo explains.
The summer job information service will be open from Monday 2 May until Friday 2 September, with telephone advice available between 09.00 and 15.00 on Monday to Friday. The helpline service advises callers in Finnish, Swedish and English, and anonymous calls are also accepted.
You can call the helpline on +358 800 179 279. The summer job information service is also present on Facebook (www.facebook.com/kesaduunari) and Twitter (twitter.com/kesaduunari).
Check out the advisory service website at www.kesaduunari.fi for important information on the world of work for summer employees. The site also includes a facility for requesting advice on individual problems.
Media photographs for the summer job advisory service are available at: www.dropbox.com/sh/41lqajzekyybyt4/AADCGPKXsOERdDJya91x3bBXa?dl=0
The summer job advisory service logo may be downloaded at: www.kesaduunari.fi/yhteystiedot.
For further details please contact:
SAK youth secretary Tatu Tuomela, +358 40 534 0577
Akava specialist on young employees and employment affairs, Miika Sahamies, +358 50 530 5366
STTK student and youth policy specialist Hanna Hesse, +358 45 678 9878