Is Midsummer’s Day a paid holiday?

Midsummer Day is one of Finland’s most significant holidays, and it often raises questions about whether it is a paid holiday. This article looks at the position of Midsummer’s Day in working life and answers the question as comprehensively as possible.

What is Midsummer?

Midsummer Day is a holiday celebrated in Finland on a Saturday between 20 and 26 June, marking the summer solstice and Saint John’s Day. It has traditionally been a time when Finns gather at their summer cabins, light Midsummer bonfires and enjoy the light nights.

Midsummer Day in working life

In Finland, Midsummer’s Day is an official public holiday, which means it is a day off for most employees. Under the Working Hours Act and most collective agreements, it is a paid holiday, so employees receive their normal wages even though they do not work.

What about Midsummer’s Eve?

Midsummer’s Eve, the Friday before, is not an official public holiday in the same way, but many workplaces give it as a paid day off or a shortened working day under their collective agreement. Whether Midsummer’s Eve is paid time off therefore depends on your own collective agreement or employment contract, not on the law.

Exceptions and special situations

There are some exceptions and special situations that can affect pay on Midsummer’s Day:

• Shift work: if you have to work in shifts on Midsummer Day, you will usually be paid an increased rate, which under many collective agreements can be up to double the normal wage.
• Moving the day off: in some workplaces it can be agreed that the day off is taken at another time, if that suits the employer and employee better.
• Entrepreneurs and the self-employed: they decide for themselves whether to take Midsummer Day off; whether they are “paid” for it depends on their own business.

Summary

In short, Midsummer’s Day in Finland is a paid day off for most employees. Exceptions include shift workers who have to work that day, as well as entrepreneurs and the self-employed, who decide for themselves. It’s always worth checking the details of your own collective agreement and talking to your employer if anything is unclear.

You can find more information about pay and working-time rules around Midsummer on the Occupational Safety Administration’s website.