Is May Day a paid holiday?

May Day, known in Finland as Vappu or vapunpäivä and in English also as Labour Day or Labor Day, is an official public holiday and flag day in Finland on May 1. It has been one of Finland’s public holidays since 1944, and it celebrates both the arrival of spring and the history of the labour movement. But is May Day a paid holiday? Let’s take a closer look.

May Day is a public holiday

May Day is one of Finland’s official public holidays, like Christmas Day and Independence Day. That status alone does not mean that every employee is automatically paid for the day off, however. Whether May Day is a paid day off for you depends on how you are paid and on your employment contract and collective agreement (TES).

Is the day paid?

Whether you are paid for May Day depends on several factors:

• Monthly-paid employees: A monthly salary normally also covers public holidays that fall on weekdays, such as May Day, so the salary is not reduced even though no work is done that day.
• Hourly-paid and piece-rate employees: For them, the right to pay for May Day is usually based on the collective agreement’s provisions on public holiday compensation (arkipyhäkorvaus). Most collective agreements include such compensation, but it is always worth checking your own agreement.
• Employment contract: If your employment contract specifically says that May Day is a paid holiday, the employer must comply with it.

Working on May Day

In some sectors, such as healthcare, rescue services and the restaurant industry, people also work on May Day. The Working Hours Act treats work on May Day in the same way as work on Sundays and church holidays, so employees who work that day are normally entitled to increased pay, and collective agreements may add further compensation. The exact terms vary between sectors, so check your own collective agreement or ask your employer.

Exceptions and special situations

Part-time and fixed-term employees may not be paid for May Day if they would not normally work on that weekday, and practices can also vary when May Day falls on a weekend. Entrepreneurs and freelancers are not entitled to a paid day off unless they have agreed on it separately.

Vappu traditions

Alongside its legal status, Vappu is Finland’s traditional spring festival. People celebrate with sima (a homemade mead), munkki doughnuts and balloons, and many schools and workplaces mark the eve of May Day with their own small celebrations.

Summary

May Day (Labour Day) is an official public holiday in Finland, and for most employees it is also a paid day off. The exact pay and any compensation depend on how you are paid and on your employment contract and collective agreement, so it is worth checking your own terms or asking your employer.

You can find more information on the subject on the Työsuojelu.fi pages on the Working Hours Act.