Finland’s supreme court rejects midwives’ compensation claims over poor indoor air quality

Finland’s supreme court has refused to grant leave to appeal a lower court ruling, ending a legal battle by midwives who sought compensation for health issues caused by poor indoor air quality at Helsinki’s now-closed Kätilöopisto Hospital, Helsingin Sanomat reports.

The decision upholds a court of appeal ruling that the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS), the employer, had fulfilled its obligations as an employer during the period in question. As a result, the 24 midwives who filed claims will not receive compensation.

In 2021, a district court had ordered HUS to pay damages to three midwives, awarding each €7,500 for temporary harm and between €5,000–€10,000 for permanent damage. However, the court of appeal later overturned this decision, stripping them of compensation.

The hospital, which closed in 2018 due to severe indoor air problems, was acknowledged by both parties as the cause of the staff’s health issues. The legal dispute centered on whether HUS had sufficient awareness of the building’s conditions and their impact on employees.

One of the affected midwives, Tanja Mäkinen, previously described the outcome as a “miscarriage of justice,” while HUS maintained it had “done its best.”