NordenBladet — The Government and central labour market organisations have negotiated joint equal pay measures for the period 2020–2023. The Equal Pay Programme aims to reduce the average pay gap between women and men. The aims would be achieved through agreement and pay policies, development of pay systems, harmonising work and family life, and reducing gender segregation in working life.

The new Equal Pay Programme includes a number of practical actions to strengthen pay equality in the coming years. The parties to the Programme are committed to, among other things, updating the gender impact assessment recommendation, examining the effects of employment and collective agreements on pay differences, increasing pay awareness, guiding gender equality planning in workplaces, examining pay systems based on job competence from the perspective of equal pay and promoting the use of parental leave by fathers.

In addition, business and industry organisations, education authorities and providers of education will carry out a joint project to end gender segregation in working life.

Minister Thomas Blomqvist welcomes the Equal Pay Programme: “The Tripartite Equal Pay Programme is a concrete joint commitment to promoting equal pay. The average pay gap between women and men is still 16% and that has to change. The Programme includes many steps to advance equal pay and, when we combine them with the Government’s own measures, I am optimistic the pay gap can be reduced.”

According to the labour organisations representing employees, “promotion of equal pay must take place in the workplace, in the unions and central labour organisations as well as in society as a whole. Important ways to reduce the pay gap include pay transparency, uniform criteria for assessing the requirements of work and a more equal allocation of family leave among parents. It is important to take swift action now.”

The labour organisations representing employers also welcome the new Equal Pay Programme.

“The average pay gap between women and men is about the difference in the average earnings of men and women at the level of society – not about employers paying different salaries to women and men doing the same work. We are therefore very pleased that the Equal Pay Programme includes a broad-based project to eradicate gender segregation in the labour market. The project aims to address the division of sectors, professions and tasks into women’s and men’s work, and thereby reduce the average gender pay gap in a sustainable manner.

”In addition to the Equal Pay Programme, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health will also advance other measures under the Government Programme to strengthen pay equality. These include, among other things, large research projects that develop a method for comparing pay for work with equal value and assess the gender impact of collective agreements. Central labour market organisations also have their own measures to promote equal pay.

Equal Pay Programme 2020–2023
The Equal Pay Programme brings together the joint measures of the Government and central labour market organisations to promote equality in pay. The parties to the Programme include central labour market organisations, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment, and the Ministry of Education and Culture. Equal Pay Programmes have been implemented since 2006.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The support for business costs is intended for all companies whose turnover has decreased by at least 30 per cent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 18 December 2020, the Government issued a decree on the sectors that can apply for support without providing further justification. If a company does not operate in one of the sectors defined in the decree, it must justify the need for support and provide an account of the loss of turnover due to COVID-19.

“The listing of sectors in the Government decree will help speed up the processing of companies’ applications at the State Treasury. Companies can apply for the support if their turnover has decreased by 30 per cent during the reference period,” says Minister of Economic Affairs Mika Lintilä.

The list in the decree covers those sectors whose turnover decreased by at least ten per cent between June and October 2020 compared to the corresponding period in 2019. The decrease in companies’ turnover will also be calculated based on these reference periods. For companies established on or after 1 May 2019, the reference period is from 1 January 2020 to 28 February 2020.Amendments to the Act on Support for Business Costs entered into force on 15 December 2020. Companies can apply for support from the State Treasury starting on 21 December 2020. The application cycle will be open until 26 February 2021.

Listing of sectors helps in targeting supportThe listing of sectors aims to ensure that the support is targeted specifically to companies affected by the pandemic. This will help to better take into account other reasons for a decrease in a company’s business. These may include seasonal fluctuations or declines in turnover for reasons other than COVID-19.

This second round of applications for support covers 220 sectors, whereas 365 were listed in the first round. The listed sectors now include hotels, catering services, staff and institutional canteens, and certain fields in the arts, entertainment and recreation.Sectors no longer listed in the second round include restaurants, cafes and bars, hairdressers and beauty care services, along with certain kinds of retail and manufacturing businesses. However, companies in these sectors can still apply for cost support if their turnover has decreased due to COVID-19 by at least 30 per cent between June and October 2020 compared to the corresponding period in 2019. Restaurants have also received separate support through an earlier programme.

The sectors listed in the decree were determined based on VAT data from the Tax Administration. Cost support cannot be granted to businesses in primary agricultural production, fisheries and aquaculture, as these sectors are subject to separate state aid rules that are the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Business cost support also covers foundations and associations engaged in business activities.

Business cost support aims to prevent bankruptcies
Due to the reduced turnover caused by the coronavirus pandemic, companies have struggled to pay inflexible business costs and payroll costs. The support is compensation for these costs, but it does not compensate for a decrease in turnover. The objective of business cost support is to help companies cope with the difficult economic situation caused by COVID-19.The State has reserved EUR 550 million for the second round of applications, but the estimate of the appropriation needed is uncertain and may not be used in whole. The use of the appropriation depends on the number of companies meeting the criteria for support and their costs.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Ministry of the Interior has issued a decree on fees charged by the police. For example, the prices of passports and identity cards will rise. The decree will enter into force on 1 January 2021.

The coronavirus pandemic, which began in 2020, and the related restrictive measures have had a negative impact on the number of licences granted by the police and the revenues derived from them. The number of passports issued has decreased most significantly. Due to this decrease and rising printing costs, the fee charged for a passport will increase next year. Last year, the prices of passports and identity cards were lowered.

The fee for a passport applied in person will rise from EUR 51 to EUR 58. The price difference to a passport applied electronically will remain the same and therefore the fee for a passport applied electronically will rise to EUR 52. According to law, licensing activity based on fees must correspond to the costs of the activity.The prices of passports for veterans of Finnish wars and participants in mine clearance will remain unchanged.

Due to the increase in printing costs, the fee for identity cards will increase by 1 EUR, with one exception. The price of an identity card applied in person will rise from EUR 54 to EUR 55. The price of an identity card applied electronically will rise from EUR 48 to EUR 49. If the applications for an identity card and passport are submitted together, the identity card will be 8 EUR cheaper.

New fee for business licences in firearms trade
The Police Board will introduce a new processing fee for the amendment notification of the holder of the firearms trade permit. The processing fee is EUR 70, which corresponds to the processing fee for the amendment notification in the security sector. The fee is a result of an amendment to the Firearms Act. The amendment to the Firearms Act, which entered into force in 2019, introduced additional reporting obligations for business licence holders. The processing fee corresponds to the processing fee for the amendment notification in the security sector.

According to the Act, the holder of a firearms trade permit must submit an amendment notification to the Police Board in case of:change in name or business name or legal form of company, opening and closure of a business establishment, change in the conditions or location of storage facilities, opening of a new storage facility, closure of a storage facility, or change in the address of the business establishment;changes concerning persons in the company’s administrative bodies, managing director, partners in a general partnership and general partners in a limited partnership;discontinuation or suspension of operations for a period longer than one month;continuing the operations after the suspension referred to in item 3. The processing fee would not apply to a notification on discontinuation or suspension of operations referred to in item 3. Provision of executive assistance to child welfare and emergency social services for free to be investigated

An evaluation of whether executive assistance provided by the police to child welfare authorities and emergency social services should be free of charge is currently ongoing by various bodies. The evaluation has shown so far that the matter involves various far-reaching issues related to laws and principles that are connected to the operations of public authorities in general. Authorities cooperating with each other, for example in a multi-professional setting, or the police performing its statutory duties, such as preventing crime, is not considered executive assistance.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — A key objective of the Marin Government is to build a socially, economically and ecologically sustainable Finland. In the 2020 Government budget session, the Government decided on measures that, combined with its earlier employment measures, are expected to generate 31,000–36,000 jobs.

The Government parties have decided on measures to boost employment among people over the age of 55, promote working capacity and wellbeing at work, strengthen skills and improve protection in the event of restructuring. The Ministry of Finance has assessed the potential impact of these measures on employment and public finances. According to the assessment, the measures will provide employment for around 10,300 people. Employment is expected to increase by around 9,100 jobs by the end of 2029, with an additional temporary growth impact of around 1,200 jobs. Altogether, the proposed measures are estimated to strengthen public finances by approximately EUR 165 million. The costs to employers will increase by about EUR 10 million by 2029 compared to the current level.During its term, the Government will take employment measures that will bolster the economy with the aim of achieving an employment-generating impact amounting to 80,000 new jobs. The Government will decide on the next set of employment measures in its mid-term policy review session.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Finland’s sauna culture was inscribed on UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on 17 December 2020. The decision was made by an intergovernmental committee consisting of representatives of 24 State Parties. This is Finland’s first inscription on the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage.The sauna culture in Finland is strong and lively. The inscription to UNESCO’s list means that we are committed to fostering the living Finnish sauna tradition in many ways. In addition to vitality, the continuity of the sauna tradition is safeguarded and the importance of Finnish sauna culture is highlighted as a feature of Finnish customs and traditions as well as wellbeing and democracy. Numerous Finnish sauna societies and other communities  that promote the Finnish sauna culture operate in the background. –    Sauna bathing is an integral part of both everyday life and festivities as well as wellbeing and lifestyle for Finnish people. Sauna bathing underscores equality and mutual respect between people. The sauna tradition is Finland’s first element in the UNESCO Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage. This will make our sauna culture even better known throughout the world. All sauna bathers can be proud of this, said Annika Saarikko, Minister of Science and Culture.Heating up the sauna, the customs and traditions associated with sauna bathing, and songs, beliefs and storytelling traditions about saunas are all part of this living heritage. With almost 90 per cent of the Finnish population sauna bathing once a week, this tradition is flourishing. There are approximately 3.2 million saunas in Finland, so the figures speak for themselves.  Families pass on the tradition to new generations, as do the numerous Finnish sauna societies and associations.–    Sauna is an important tradition that Finnish people cherish, passing it on from one generation to the next. The UNESCO inscription is a great honour. It will also further increase cooperation between communities in the sector, such as sauna societies and associations, said Ritva Ohmeroluoma of the Finnish Sauna Society. Background: UNESCO Convention and ListsFinland  ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013. The Convention promotes the  safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage and makes visible the diverse cultural traditions of people, communities and groups. Intangible cultural heritage refers to practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and know-how transmitted by means of oral traditions, performing arts, social life practices, rituals and festivities, or nature and the universe, for example. The Finnish Heritage Agency is in charge of implementing the Convention in Finland.Based on the Convention, inventories of cultural heritage is kept both nationally and internationally. UNESCO  maintains two lists of intangible cultural heritage and a register on good  safeguarding practices. Prior to the ongoing UNESCO meeting, the lists contain a total of 549 elements  from 127 countries. The lists serve to bring visibility to the living heritage and encourage sharing of good practices among countries.In Finland, intangible cultural heritage is collected in the Wiki-Inventory for Living Heritage, where it is possible to make nominations for the National Inventory of Living Heritage. There are currently 175 elements inscribed in the Wiki-Inventory and 64 elements in the national inventory. Finland’s next national nomination for inscription is the Kaustinen folk fiddling tradition.  Finland has accompanied a multinational  nomination for the inscription of the  Nordic  clinker-boat tradition on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. A decision is due in December 2021 for both of these elements. More info and materials about the subject

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Government proposes that the Act on the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, be amended so that the text-based online content published by YLE would be more closely linked to its audio or video content broadcasts. The Government submitted its legislative proposal to Parliament on 17 December 2020.The aim of the proposal is to specify the role of the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, as a public service media house and to bring the regulation on the company into line with EU state aid rules. The proposed provisions would generally allow YLE to provide text content only for the purpose of supporting broadcasts or releases containing video or audio material.

The proposed provisions would clarify the current regulation in terms of the operating environment for commercial media. The purpose is also to ensure that YLE can continue providing text content as part of public service broadcasting.YLE would not be able to publish text content, if the content was not linked with a broadcast or release containing video or audio material. This would not, however, apply to:
– short text content published by YLE on the basis of cooperation with a national news agency, e.g. the Finnish News Agency, STT,
– news briefs relating to breaking news situations,- official bulletins broadcast under law,- news content in text form in Saami and Romani languages or addressed to other minority language groups in Finland,
– cultural and educational text content.

Next steps
A preliminary debate will be held on the proposal now submitted by the Government to Parliament. The timetable for the debate will be listed on Parliament website (upcoming plenary sessions).After the preliminary debate, the proposal will be taken to a Parliamentary Committee. After the Committee submits a report, the process will continue in a plenary session.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Ministry of Transport and Communications and the VR Group have concluded a contract for purchasing passenger rail transport services for a period from 1 January to 30 June 2021. The contract includes an option for a period from 1 July to 31 December 2021. The option can be adopted, if Parliament allocates an appropriation for the purpose.

On 17 December 2020, the Ministerial Finance Committee endorsed the contract.The purpose of the contract is to ensure the service level of train transport services purchased by the state also during the situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. For maintaining the service level, Parliament has allocated in the supplementary budget EUR 11 million for this year for purchasing train transport services. This will not, however, be used for market-based transport services on which decisions will be made independently by VR.

The compensation for transport operations from January through June will be EUR 30.6 million (VAT 10%) and for the option period from July through December EUR 23.6 million (VAT 10%). The option period can be adopted, if additional funding of EUR 11 million (VAT 10%) is granted.

The purchase contract for 2021 includes regional rail services in the commuting area of Southern Finland operated using Sm2 and Sm4 trains, and railbus services on quieter long-distance transport routes. It also comprises regular night train services to Lapland and some Intercity and Pendolino routes complementing the market-based services.

Regional train and railbus services will return to the pre-COVID-19 level. The frequency of night train services will also improve compared to the level during the COVID-19 situation in 2020. The emphasis in the night train services will be more on the holiday seasons when the demand is the highest.

The new contract will replace the current contractual arrangement and, as a result, the exclusive right granted to VR in 2009 will expire. In the new contract, the services provided under obligation as defined in the Ministry’s contract will be included in the services purchased by the state. The purpose of the change is to clarify the current contractual arrangement.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — Exceptions were made to the Act on Unemployment Security Act due to the coronavirus pandemic. The aim has been to ensure the livelihood of employees and entrepreneurs. Some of the exceptions will continue until the end of March 2021. The extended right of laid-off employees to study during the lay-off period will continue until the end of 2021.

The President of the Republic approved the amendments to the Act on Unemployment Security on 17 December 2020. The new amendments will enter into force on 1 January 2021.Laid-off employees can study without losing unemployment securityLaid-off employees have had a temporary right to study full-time without the studies having an effect on their unemployment benefit. This amendment will remain in force until 31 December 2021. The amendment will apply to those laid off on or after 16 March 2020.

The amendment will help those laid-off employees, who work and study, to apply for and receive unemployment benefit, because the TE Office does not assess whether the studies are of full-time or part-time nature.

Entrepreneurs may be entitled to labour market support
Entrepreneurs have been temporarily entitled to labour market support if full-time work in the company has ended due to the coronavirus pandemic. This amendment will remain in force until 31 March 2021.In order to receive labour market support, a person must register as a jobseeker with the TE Office and the TE Office must issue a labour policy statement on their entitlement to labour market support to the Social Insurance Institution of Finland (Kela).

Adjustment of business income, which is based on the entrepreneur’s own declaration, will also continue until the end of March.Exceptions to adjustment of unemployment benefitThe exempt amount of unemployment benefit has been temporarily raised from EUR 300 to EUR 500 per month (i.e., from EUR 279 to EUR 465 per four calendar weeks). This change will remain in force until 31 March 2021.In order to ease the processing of unemployment benefit applications, so-called special periods of adjusted unemployment security and the related imputed pay would not be applied in the adjustment of unemployment security until 31 March 2021.

The exception related to the adjustment of business income, which is based on the entrepreneur’s own declaration, will until 31 March 2021 also apply to other beneficiaries of unemployment security than entrepreneurs who receive labour market support on the basis of the exception mentioned above.Unemployment benefit can be paid as an advanceIt has been possible to pay unemployment benefit temporarily based on an application as an advance payment for a maximum period of six months without a decision. Normally, the maximum time is two months. This exception will remain in force until 31 March 2021.

Mobility allowance can be granted for commutes over two hoursThe commuting and relocation allowance will be temporarily available to persons who work full-time and whose daily commute at the start of employment takes at least two hours. Normally, a commute of at least three hours is required. The allowance can also be paid to persons who move because of a job to a distance comparable to the daily commuting requirement. The exception will apply to work that began no later than 31 March 2021.

Some exceptions to end on 31 December
Some of the temporary legislative amendments adopted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic will remain in force until the end of 2020. After that, normal legislation will apply.

Legislative amendments in force until 31 December 2020:Job search does not expire due to errors made in the TE Services online service.

The right of jobseekers to unemployment benefit continues despite short-term studies referred to in the Act on Unemployment Security, even if the studies are delayed by more than six months due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Jobseekers may discontinue participation in an employment-promoting service for a justified reason due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The maximum period of 24 or 48 months for self-motivated studies by jobseekers is extended if the study progress has been delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Persons who have become unemployed or laid-off are entitled to unemployment benefit during the five-day waiting period.

Employees may be entitled to unemployment benefit if they have been in paid employment for at least 13 calendar weeks, instead of the normal 26 calendar weeks.

There is no maximum period for receiving unemployment allowance.

What should an unemployed jobseeker do?

The right of unemployed jobseekers to unemployment benefits remains unchanged when they act in accordance with instructions received from the TE Office and the unemployment fund or Kela. If you have any questions, you should contact either the TE Office through its online service or the body that pays the unemployment benefit.

The instructions are available on the website of TE Services, Kela and the Federation of Unemployment Funds in Finland TYJ .

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — On Thursday 17 December, the President of the Republic appointed Member of Parliament Jussi Saramo as Minister of Education and a member of the Government. At the same time, the President released Member of Parliament Li Andersson from the post of Minister of Education and her membership in the Government.

Following the presidential session, the Government plenary session made decisions on changes to the ministerial portfolios, deputising arrangements and the composition of ministerial committees and working groups. Saramo also gave his declaration of office and judicial affirmation.

Saramo will be a member of the Ministerial Committee on Foreign and Security Policy, the Ministerial Committee on Economic and EU Policy and the Ministerial Finance Committee. Saramo will also chair the Ministerial Working Group on Competence, Education, Culture and Innovation and will be a member of the Ministerial Working Groups on Climate and Energy Policy and on Promoting Employment. In the same session, the Government appointed Minna Kelhä to continue in her post as State Secretary.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi

NordenBladet — The Government appointed the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (ETNO) for the next four-year term 2020–2024 today.The Advisory Board, operating in conjunction with the Ministry of Justice, serves as a forum for dialogue and promotes cooperation between immigrants, ethnic minorities, public authorities, political parties and civil society organisations.

The Advisory Board forms a network of experts specialising in questions relating to migration, integration, equality and dialogue between different population groups.

As its name suggests, the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations has an advisory role. It can make proposals, launch initiatives and issue statements with the aim of improving immigrants’ and ethnic minorities’ possibilities to participate and exert influence and building an atmosphere of positive attitudes between different population groups, for example.

The Advisory Board exerts influence in society by engaging in public debate and by increasing understanding and raising awareness of a diverse Finland. The Advisory Board may also make proposals or act as a partner in research and development projects.

Pekka Timonen, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, chairs the Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations. The Vice-Chairs are Director General Minna Hulkkonen from the Migration Department of the Ministry of the Interior, Member of Parliament Aki Lindén as the Vice-Chair representing parliamentary groups, and Director of the Crisis Centre Monika Natalie Gerbert from MONIKA – Multicultural Women’s Association as the Vice-Chair representing immigrants and ethnic minorities.

The Advisory Board has a total of 35 members and three permanent experts.

Besides the national Advisory Board, there are seven regional advisory boards for ethnic relations, which were appointed earlier in autumn 2020.

Source: Valtioneuvosto.fi