Finland’s Social Democrats criticise employer stance on unpaid leave during drone threat

The Social Democratic Party of Finland (SDP) has condemned an employer group’s position that workers should not be paid if they stay home during a drone threat, calling the stance “unreasonable,” according to a report by Finnish news agency STT.

Niina Malm, deputy chair of the SDP, criticised the Confederation of Finnish Industries (EK) after it stated that employers are not obligated to pay wages if employees follow official advice to remain indoors due to a potential drone threat. The interpretation was first reported by Helsinki Sanomat newspaper.

“An employee should not be penalised for following safety instructions,” Malm said.

Finnish authorities issued a warning on Thursday urging residents in the Uusimaa region to stay inside until the threat from a possible stray drone had passed.