Final pay and certificate of employment

You must receive your final pay when your employment ends. You are also entitled to receive a certificate of employment.

Check that your final pay is correct

You can receive your final pay as soon as your employment ends, on the next payday or after two weeks, for example. The exact date is often specified in the employment contract. You can also ask your employer or the union representative at your workplace.

Check your payslip to make sure your final pay is correct. Here are some examples of what your final pay must include:

  • holiday compensation
  • accrued flexitime hours
  • overtime
  • additional holiday pay.

If your final pay is late, you can claim full pay and interest for late payment for the days for which you wait to be paid. However, you can only receive pay and interest for up to six days. 

Watch a video about the pay

You can always ask for a certificate of employment

When your employment ends, you always have the right to ask for a certificate of employment. Ask your supervisor for the certificate. Tell your supervisor whether you want a concise or more detailed certificate of employment.

A concise certificate of employment means that the certificate only specifies when you worked for the employer and what kind of work you did.

A more detailed certificate of employment provides more detailed information about you and the employment relationship. It also describes what kind of employee you were and why your employment ended.

More information on certificates of employment

Did you not receive a certificate of employment or did you lose your certificate? 

You can ask your former employer for a certificate of employment for up to 10 years. This 10-year period starts on the day your employment ends. If five years or more have passed, the employer does not have to give you a more detailed certificate of employment.

Do you want a certificate of employment, even though your employment relationship is still ongoing? 

You can ask your employer for a temporary certificate of employment. However, your employer does not have to give you such a certificate.

Did you not receive a certificate of employment?

Contact the union representative at your workplace. The union representative can inform the employer that you are entitled to a certificate of employment under Finnish law. If your workplace does not have a union representative, contact Tehy.

If you do not receive a certificate of employment, your employer may have to pay a fine. The police may also investigate the matter. 

Eurot

Example: annual holiday compensation was missing from final pay

A dentist’s employment ended. The final pay did not include any annual holiday compensation. In other words, the dentist did not receive additional holiday pay or compensation for the days of holiday that they had not taken off during their employment. 

#tehyhelps

The dentist was a member of Tehy. They asked Tehy for help, and a Tehy expert helped them. The employer had to pay the dentist €1,960 in annual holiday compensation. Read the Tehy magazine article on this case. The article is in Finnish.

Iloinen nainen

Do you have any questions about your employment?

As a Tehy member, you are never alone. Ask for help from the union representative at your workplace or contact Tehy regarding an employment-related matter.