Working hours

Working hours according to VR and SA agreements

Shop assistants:

Daytime is from 09:00 until 18:00 Monday to Friday and must be continuous. Work may begin before 09:00 but never earlier than 07:00.

Shop assistants active work time, i.e. the time actually worked excluding meal and refreshment breaks, in daytime is 35,83 (35:51) per week. If coffee breaks are taken, the work time lengthens accordingly and becomes 38,75 (38:45) hours per week. Working hours shall be arranged by agreement between employees and employers according to what is considered suitable in each place of work.

Office workers/salespeople:

Daytime is from 09:00 until 17:00 Monday to Friday and must be continuous.

Active work time is 35,50 (35:30) hours per week, i.e. the time actually worked excluding meal and refreshment breaks, in daytime. If coffee breaks are taken, the work time lengthens accordingly and becomes 36,75 (36:45) per week. Working hours shall be arranged by agreement between employees and employers, by lengthening of daily work hours before 09:00, after 17:00 and/or shorter lunch breaks.

On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, if these fall on weekdays, the daytime period is until 12:00 noon. Daytime work in shops commences at 10:00 on the first working day after Christmas.

Working hours according to VR and FA agreements

Daytime is from 07:00 until 19:00 Monday to Friday. Daytime must fall within these limits and be continuous. Active work time per week is 36 hours and 15 minutes.

With an agreement between the employer and the employee working hours in a company may be organized so that is clear in terms of how work will be arranged during the period. Work hours of employees in a full-time job and employees in a part-time job may be arranged so that weekly work hours vary between 07:00 and 19:00 Monday to Friday, for a maximum, however, of 16 weeks.

  • Maximum working hours during a 16 week period: Average working hours which are calculated for up to a 16 week period must not be longer than 48 work hours including overtime, as per agreement on specific items concerning the plan for work hours.
  • Changes in working hours: Changes that might be made to the work time must be made clear at least 4 weeks in advance.
  • Wage arrangement: All working hours in a week, up to 35 hours and 30 minutes, must be paid with usual wages, whether it is to an employee working part-time or an employee working full-time.
  • Work in excess of 45 hours per week: If work hours during a specific period exceed 45 hours, overtime wages must be paid for the hours exceeding 45 per week, as well as for the time from 19:00 to 07:00, even though normal, weekly work hours criteria on average is not exceeded.