Temporary Child-Care Leave during a Child’s Illness

According to the Finnish Employment Contracts Act, a parent is entitled to be absent from work up to four days at a time if their child or a child permanently living in their household who is under 10 years of age suddenly falls ill. The precondition is that both parents work outside the home or that the parent at home is committed to such activities which prevent the daily care of the child or that the parent at home cannot nurse the child due to their own illness. A parent living in a different household than the child is entitled to temporary child-care leave as well.

The Finnish Employment Contracts Act does not obligate the employer to pay the employee a salary for the temporary child-care leave. However, almost all collective bargaining agreements provide that the employee is entitled to salary for temporary child-care leave.

At the employer's request, the employee is required to provide a reliable account of the reason for the temporary child-care leave. A medical certificate is primarily considered to be reliable.