Shifting to Part-Time Work

Working hours that are shorter than regular working hours and that an employee undertakes on a permanent basis is called part-time work. A part-time employment relationship may come into existence by an agreement between the employer and the employee or by reason of the employer unilaterally changing the conditions of the employment relationship. Changing the employment relationship into part-time relationship signifies that both regular daily and weekly working hours are permanently shortened.

In order for an employer to shift an employee to part-time, the employer must have financial or production-related termination grounds due to which the available work has significantly and permanently been reduced. Unilateral alteration of the employment relationship to part-time must be done in compliance with notice periods. The change into a part-time employment relationship enters into force after the notice period.

If an employer employs at least 20 employees, shifting to part-time work must be dealt with through the cooperation procedure. For information on co-operation procedures in respect of shifting to part-time work, see [2.7.7 Co-Operation Negotiation Obligation in Reducing the Use of Personnel].

The employer has an obligation to offer additional work to a part-time employee, if the employer is in need of more work force and the part-time employee is suitable for the work in question. The employer is also under an obligation to arrange appropriate training if such would enable the part-time employee to perform any other available work. Part-time employees have a primary right to full-time employment ahead of dismissed employees’ right to return to work. If the need for additional work force is only temporary, the employer is not under an obligation to provide full-time employment to the part-time employee.

In addition the employer has an obligation to inform of all vacant positions in the company in general or in accordance with an established practice of the working place. The informing obligation ensures that also the part-time employees have the same opportunity to apply the same positions as the full-time workers.