Forms of working hours

General working hours are used if shift work or office hours cannot be applied. General working hours have a regular daily and weekly working time.

In general working time, working hours can be arranged as an average, which evens out over a period of three or six weeks. In this case, the weekly working hours may vary, but they even out to the number of hours specified in the collective agreement, usually 38 hours and 15 minutes per week.

The regular working hours, however, vary according to the collective agreement. Therefore, please check the provisions of the collective agreement applied at your workplace.

In period-based working time, the working hours are usually planned for a period of 3-6 weeks. Period-based working time can only be used for tasks allowed by the law or if it has been specifically agreed upon in the collective agreement. Period-based work is used in workplaces that operate around the clock, such as hospitals and health center wards, home care, and assisted living facilities.

The work shift must be continuous, unless there is a justified reason for a different arrangement. The minimum and maximum working hours for a shift are agreed upon differently in various collective agreements.

The work week and shift begin on the night between Sunday and Monday at 12 AM, unless agreed otherwise. The employer must schedule shifts for five work days per week, unless the nature of operations requires otherwise. The goal is to have two consecutive days off per week.

In period-based work, the daily and weekly lengths of working hours vary during the work period. However, on average, the working hours must even out during the period and be in accordance with the collective agreement.

According to the law, overtime can be scheduled in period-based work for a maximum of five consecutive shifts in a row.