What is important to remember at the end of an employment relationship?

Request a reference 

The employee is entitled to get a written reference concerning her or his employment relationship from the employer. The reference must include information about at least the following:  

• The employee and the employer 
• The duration of the employment relationship 
• The tasks 

At the employee’s request, the reference may also be more extensive, including information about the reason for termination and an assessment of the employee’s skills. 

If you have not received a reference after the end of your employment relationship, ask your employer for one. A reference is often useful in future job application situations, even if the employment relationship was short. You should also ask your supervisor if you can include her or him as a referee for a prospective employer to ask for an assessment of you as an employee. 

If you forget to request a reference right away, you can do it later. The employer has an obligation to provide a reference within ten years of the end of the employment relationship. If the employer fails to provide a reference despite your requests, contact PAM’s employment relationship hotline. 

Have you received holiday compensation and taken your accumulated leave? 

The main principle is that a person working 35 hours or 14 days per month accumulates 2 or 2.5 days of leave during a month, depending on the duration of the employment relationship. Summer workers are also entitled to annual leave or holiday compensation. 

Holiday compensation is paid if you are unable to take leave for any reason. In practice, such compensation is almost always paid in connection with the final pay. If you have not taken your days of absence during your employment relationship, you are entitled to holiday compensation in connection with your final pay. Holiday compensation must be included in the wages. It must always be itemised on a separate line in the payslip. 
 
Read more about

• How do I get annual holiday days?
• How are the wages, holiday pay and holiday bonus paid?

Check to ensure that you have been paid correctly 

When your employment relationship ends, you will receive your final pay. In connection with the final pay, you will be paid all the receivables arising from the employment relationship, such as your wages and supplements, holiday compensation and any bonuses. 

The final pay must be paid to the employee no later than on the last day of the employment relationship (even if this is not the normal pay date) unless the parties have agreed otherwise in the employment contract or by other means. 

You should always check your final pay carefully to ensure that you receive appropriate compensation for your work. Compare your payslip with your hours of work completed. Pay particular attention to whether you have been paid all the supplements under the collective agreement and any overtime compensation and holiday compensation (unless you have taken your days of leave during your employment relationship). 

Instructions for checking your payslip

You can check the applicable minimum wage in the collective agreement for your sector. If you are working in the commercial sector or the hotel and restaurant sector, you can also use the calculator at Tarkistapalkka.fi (in Finnish).

If you suspect that you have been paid incorrectly or that supplements are missing, contact your employer and seek to resolve the issue. If agreement is not reached or you need support, contact your union representative or PAM’s employment relationship hotline.