Finnish companies increasingly allow five-day sick leave without a doctor’s certificate

More Finnish employers are relaxing sick leave policies, permitting employees to take up to five days off based on self-reporting alone, Yle reports. The shift follows rising healthcare costs and a growing emphasis on workplace trust.

The change, initially adopted during the Covid-19 pandemic, has now expanded beyond professional roles to include manual and service jobs, such as manufacturing, retail, and care work. Major occupational health providers like Terveystalo and Pihlajalinna confirm the trend, noting that self-reported sick leave has not led to an overall increase in absences.

At Tampere-based software company Monad, employees have long been trusted to manage their own sick leave without medical documentation. “If someone has the flu, a stomach bug, or a migraine, it doesn’t make sense to send them to a clinic just for a certificate,” says HR director Viivi Juutila. The company allows self-reported absences beyond five days for prolonged illnesses like severe flu, provided no medical consultation is needed.

Workplace trust and cost savings drive the shift
Occupational health providers report that self-reported sick leave now accounts for a significant share of total absences. At Terveystalo, 17 percent of all sick leave in 2023 was granted by supervisors without a doctor’s note—a practice that has grown annually since systematic tracking began in 2021.

The change also reflects broader acceptance of self-reporting for all illnesses, not just respiratory infections. “Previously, self-reported leave was often limited to specific conditions, but now it applies universally,” says Tuomas Kopperoinen, an occupational health specialist at Pihlajalinna.

Rising healthcare costs have accelerated the trend. According to Harri Héllsten of the Federation of Finnish Enterprises, employer expenses for occupational healthcare have surged by roughly 10 percent annually. “Requiring a doctor’s note for a common cold is impractical and costly,” Héllsten notes, adding that the organization has pushed for reforms to improve transparency in billing.

Monad’s switch to a smaller healthcare provider this year underscores broader dissatisfaction with large occupational health services. Juutila emphasizes that trust remains central: “Our culture encourages openness—we’ve never needed to investigate sick leave claims.”