MILITARY SERVICE
| FINLAND |
| ASEVELVOLLISUUS [VÄRNPLIKT] MILITARY SERVICE |
Finland's system of national defence is based on the fact that every male citizen is liable for compulsory military service. This obligation includes service in the regular armed forces, the military reserve and the emergency militia. Service as a militarily trained conscript into the regular armed forces is performed between the ages of 18 and 19. Exemption can be granted on the grounds of religious or ethical convictions and the period of service completed, instead, as a conscientious objector in non-combatant areas. In addition, women under the age of 30 have the opportunity of being accepted, on application, for voluntary military service. The period of conscription currently ranges from a minimum of six months to a maximum of just over a year. Those who remain liable for service in the reserve forces up to the age of 50 or 60 can be called up for periods of refresher training during which they receive reservists' pay from the government.
Under Finnish law both private and public employers (see employment relationship, public-law employment relationship) are prohibited from dismissing an employee called up for military service by reason of that service itself. Nor, during periods when such service is being performed, may an employer terminate employment on the grounds normally justifying termination, although the special circumstances for terminating the employment relationship laid down in the 2001 Contracts of Employment Act, i.e. the death, bankruptcy or insolvency of the employer or the transfer of ownership or reorganization of the business, constitute exceptions to this ban. There is an obligation on employers to reinstate former employees returning from periods of military service in their previous job or an equivalent one. However, in order to claim the protection of this special right to return those performing compulsory military service must inform their employer within a week of their departure that they intend to resume the employment relationship.
Please note: the European industrial relations glossaries were compiled between 1991 and 2003 and are not updated. For current material see the European industrial relations dictionary.