Laws to know

The Co-Determination in the Workplace Act describes the employer's obligation to continuously provide the union with information about the business and conduct negotiations before major changes. The Co-Determination in the Workplace Act also gives trade unions the right to request a hearing on matters concerning members.

The Co-Determination in the Workplace Act governs the right to enter into collective agreements and lodge disputes.

The Act on the Position of Trade Union Representatives in the Workplace gives employees the right to appoint elected representatives to represent them. The elected representatives may work on union matters for part of their paid working hours without any loss of pay or worse conditions. The Act on the Position of Trade Union Representatives in the Workplace also gives elected representatives the right to attend the necessary trade union training during paid working hours in order to be able to carry out their duties.

The Employment Protection Act governs the employee-employer relationship. The main principle pursuant to the Employment Protection Act is that an employment is valid until further notice unless otherwise specified. The Employment Protection Act also governs how an employer may dismiss an employee. It contains provisions ensuring that objective grounds are required for notice of termination, that termination on the grounds of shortage of work must take place according to certain rules of priority and that substitute employment and other short-term employment must be transformed into indefinite-term employment after a certain period of time.

The Work Environment Act describes, among other things, how employers and trade unions are to cooperate on working environment-related matters. All employees have the right to a satisfactory working environment and the employer is responsible for adapting the workplace so that employees feel good at work and experience a sustainable working life.

The Discrimination Act places great emphasis on the employer's preventive work. No one shall be discriminated against on grounds of sex, transgender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, disability, sexual orientation or age.

The employer is obliged to investigate and take action against any harassment suffered by any employee on any of the grounds of discrimination.

Parents have the right to be at home with their young children and still keep their jobs. Parents, for example, have the right to be at home with their children on a full-time basis until the child is 18 months old. The law prohibits unfair treatment on grounds of parental leave.

The Act entitles all employees to take their annual leave in the form of paid or unpaid holiday. The law states that all employees are entitled to a continuous leave of four weeks.