Employees must get paid, if asked to stay home for drone threat: JHL

The Trade Union for the Public and Welfare Sectors-JHL demanded that employees should get paid, if they stay home following instructions by the authority due to drone threat.

The union also underscored the need for law change urgently in Finland so that employees can feel financially secure in exceptional situations, said JHL in a press release on Thursday.

JHL will start negotiations with employer associations as soon as possible about how the obligation to pay salaries and wages in exceptional situations should be determined.

On 15 May, the rescue authorities issued an emergency warning affecting the Uusimaa region, in which people were clearly instructed to stay indoors.

The warning was issued because the authorities suspected that a dangerous drone may be moving in the area.

The standpoint of employer association the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) is that employers do not have to pay salary or wages to employees who obeyed the authorities and did not come to work, said the press release, adding that JHL President Håkan Ekström strongly disagreed.

“Employees must get paid when they stay at home because the authorities have told them to do so. The legislation and terms and conditions of employment have to be reviewed urgently so that employees’ income in exceptional situations is secured,” Ekström said.

JHL will start negotiations with employer associations as soon as possible about how the obligation to pay salaries and wages in exceptional situations should be determined to protect the union members and their income.

Ekström stressed that following the authorities’ instructions must not be a financial risk for an employee.

“At worst, this can result into people not following the instructions. Trust of the citizens is critical in a crisis,” Ekström added.

The current legislation does not answer unambiguously enough to the question in what kind of exceptional situations an employer can refuse to pay salary or wages.

JHL monitors the situation and is prepared to seek a decision on the matter in court, if unresolved disagreements about paying salaries and wages arise.

The authorities’ collaboration, communication and leadership in crisis have to work when a serious emergency warning is issued in Finland, said the union, adding that collaboration between municipalities, wellbeing services counties, the central government and employers failed in several places.

“Politicians cannot dodge responsibility. One of the key duties of the government is to secure the life and health of the population in all circumstances,” said the JHL President.