Sick child leave in Finland: temporary childcare leave

When a child under 10 suddenly falls ill, an employee in Finland has the right to temporary childcare leave (tilapäinen hoitovapaa) for up to four working days at a time to arrange care or look after the child. This comes from chapter 4, section 6 of the Employment Contracts Act. The employer is not required by law to pay for these days (chapter 4, section 8), but many collective agreements provide pay, and Kela pays no benefit for temporary childcare leave.

This guide is written for international employees and for founders of 5–25 person companies who hire them. A child's illness is not the employee's own sickness, so it is not sick leave: your own sick days follow the rules in sick leave self-certification in Finland.

What does Finnish law say when your child is sick?

Chapter 4, section 6 of the Employment Contracts Act 55/2001 (Finnish) sets the rules:

• Whose child. Your own child or another child who lives permanently in your household. A parent who does not live with the child has the same right.
• Age. The child is under 10.
• Reason. The child falls ill suddenly, and you need time to arrange care or to care for the child.
• Length. Up to four working days at a time. The Act sets no annual maximum.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, collective agreements may set a different age limit. When the conditions are met, the leave is the employee's right and the employer cannot refuse it.

Is temporary childcare leave paid?

Not by law. The employer has no obligation to pay wages during the family leaves in chapter 4, and temporary childcare leave is one of them. However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration notes that many collective agreements stipulate pay for short absences caused by a child's sudden illness.

Pay can therefore come from the collective agreement (TES) your employer follows, from your employment contract, or from a company decision to pay. If you are unsure, ask your employer which collective agreement applies. Sick pay is a different thing and does not apply to a child's illness: see sick pay in Finland.

Does the employer need a doctor's note?

Not automatically. On the employer's request, the employee must give a reliable account of the reason for the leave, but the Act does not say what form it takes. The collective agreement or the workplace policy decides whether your own notice is enough or whether a note about the child's illness is needed.

A child does not get a sick leave certificate in the way an employee does. If your workplace asks for proof, it comes from the child's own healthcare. Occupational health care arranged by the employer is for the employee, not for the employee's children. Employers should ask only for what is needed to confirm the reason, not for the child's diagnosis.

How do you notify your employer?

You must tell your employer about the leave and how long you expect it to last as soon as possible. Use the channel your workplace policy names, often the same as for reporting your own sickness, and say who can cover urgent work.

The leave is time off work. If the child's condition allows and you want to, you can agree on remote work or flexible hours, but nobody should expect it. How remote work is organised with occupational health care is covered in remote occupational health care in Finland.

What if the other parent is at home?

Both parents can take temporary childcare leave during the same period, but not at the same time. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration says parents can split the leave as they wish, for example mornings and afternoons or alternate days, but the total is still four working days. If one parent normally stays at home and can look after the child, the working parent is not entitled to the leave.

Does Kela pay anything when your child is ill?

Not for a short illness. Kela states that temporary childcare leave is based on the Employment Contracts Act and that Kela does not pay benefits during it.

For a serious illness, a parent may get Kela's special care allowance (erityishoitoraha). It compensates loss of earnings when you cannot work because you take part in the care or rehabilitation of an ill or disabled child under 16. You need medical certificate D stating the child's illness and the need for the parent to take part in the care, and you can get the allowance only for time without salary. In full-time work, your participation must last at least 4 hours including travel.

What if the child is older or the absence gets longer?

• Compelling family reasons (chapter 4, section 7). You may be absent temporarily if your immediate presence is essential because of an unforeseeable and compelling reason caused by an illness or accident in your family. This can also cover an older child.
• Special care (chapter 4, section 7 a). If you need to be absent to give a family member special care, the employer must try to arrange the work so that you can be away for a fixed period.
• Other options. Annual leave, flexitime balance, unpaid leave or shorter days can be agreed when the statutory leave is not enough.

These absences are also unpaid by law unless an agreement says otherwise. Longer family leave and its effect on occupational health care are explained in occupational health during leave and layoff in Finland.

Law or collective agreement: quick reference

Finnish terms in English

Template: company policy and message to your manager

A short policy a small company can add to its absence instructions:

When your child is sick

When your child under [10] suddenly falls ill, you can take temporary childcare leave for up to four working days at a time (Employment Contracts Act, chapter 4, section 6). Tell [channel] before [time] how long you expect to be away. Your own notice is enough as proof [unless the absence lasts more than X days]. Pay: [we pay the first X days / as the collective agreement says / the leave is unpaid]. If you need more time, we agree on annual leave, flexitime or unpaid leave.

A message from the employee:

Hi [name], my child fell ill suddenly and I am taking temporary childcare leave today. I expect to be away [1–2] days and will update you tomorrow at [time]. [Name] can handle anything urgent.

Employer checklist

1. Check what the collective agreement you follow says about pay, age limit and proof.
2. Write the notice channel, time and proof into your absence policy, in English if your team works in English.
3. Decide on pay if no agreement settles it, and treat everyone the same way.
4. Agree in advance who covers urgent work when someone has to stay home unexpectedly.
5. Record temporary childcare leave separately from sick leave in payroll.
6. If the child is seriously ill, tell the employee about special care allowance and agree on time off under section 7 a.

Statutory occupational health care for a small employer is explained in setting up occupational health care in a small company, sick days in general in sick leave in Finland, and how occupational health care works for a startup is on occupational health for startups. StartHealth's packages are on the services page.

Frequently asked questions