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Characteristics of a well made employment contract

There is no set form for an employment contract. You can make the contract orally, but it is wiser to set it out in writing. An employment contract can even be made by electronic communication.

Points to agree when making an employment contract include:

  • the duties,
  • the pay,
  • the working time,
  • holidays, and
  • working regulations.

An employment contract should specify:

  • the time when the work begins,
  • the duration of the fixed-term employment relationship,
  • the grounds for specifying a fixed term or the information that the employment relationship is a fixed-term employment relationship concluded without a justified reason,
  • the length of any agreed trial period,
  • the place of work,
  • the main duties of the employee,
  • the collective agreement that applies to the work,
  • the criteria for determining the pay and the payment period,
  • the regular working time,
  • the manner of determining annual holiday, and
  • the period of notice of termination of the contract or the criteria for determining this period.

You can ask your trade union to review your employment contract.

Read more about the duration of employment contracts in the Tyosuojelu.fi web service.Opens in a new window.


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Text edited by: Suomi.fi editorial team
Updated: 23/6/2026