Politician Tuukka Saimen faces allegations of workplace safety violations in Vantaa

A politician from Vantaa, Tuukka Saimen, faces allegations of workplace safety violations and discrimination. Saimen, a member of the Finns Party, was elected as a city councilor in Vantaa during the municipal elections of 2021 and subsequently in the regional elections of 2022.

On November 12, preparations for the case against him were initiated by the Helsinki District Court. The prosecutor’s formal charges detail that the alleged workplace safety violation occurred in Helsinki between January 2019 and March 2021. The prosecutor is seeking a fine for Saimen regarding both accusations.

According to the charges, Saimen is accused of subjecting a young employee at his company’s restaurants to physical harassment, predominantly of a sexual nature. The specifics include incidents where he reportedly slapped the employee and grabbed their waist. The prosecution contends that this behavior was a recurring issue at the workplace, and the complainant ultimately resigned from their position; they were 19 years old at the time of leaving.

In his response to the court, Saimen denies all accusations and calls for the charges to be dismissed, asserting he never made inappropriate contact or sexually harassed the complainant. His legal team claims that details of the pending case became public prior to the spring 2023 parliamentary elections, in which he was a candidate. Saimen has also filed a police report against officials involved in the investigation and requested an inquiry into the prosecutor’s conduct.

The court extended the statute of limitations at the prosecutor’s request, alleging that Saimen was aware of the pending charges and actively sought to evade notification. Given his public position, the media is publicly naming the accused at this stage.