Court upholds dismissal of secretary who accessed patient records

A former ward secretary in Finland’s Southwest Finland Wellbeing Services County has lost her legal challenge against her dismissal after being convicted of a data protection violation.

The woman, who had been convicted in 2025 of unlawfully accessing the medical records of 72 patients without work-related justification between 2020 and 2021, was terminated by Varha in February 2025. The offenses occurred while she worked for the Hospital District of Southwest Finland.

She sued, arguing her dismissal was unjustified, as the crimes took place during a previous employment. She sought 21 months’ salary, over €50,000, claiming Varha’s near-monopoly in the sector left her unable to find new work.

Varha countered that she had resigned voluntarily after a post-conviction meeting where she was incorrectly told that resigning would avoid a dismissal note on her employment certificate. The court ruled this misinformation rendered her resignation effectively a dismissal.

The district court deemed the termination justified, citing the seriousness of the crime—breach of trust in handling sensitive patient data—and its incompatibility with her role. The ruling may be appealed.