Study leave and unpaid leave

Study leave that lasts for more than five days must be applied for from the employer in writing no later than 45 days before the studies begin. If the application for study leave concerns a maximum of five working days, the application must be made to the employer in writing or orally no later than 15 days prior to the start of the planned study leave. The employer and employee may also agree on some other kind of arrangement.

If granting study leave for the period mentioned in the application would cause considerable inconvenience to the employer’s operations, the employer has the right to postpone the start date of the study leave for a maximum of six months at a time. If the study leave pertains to training that takes place more infrequently than at six-month intervals, the employer may postpone the study leave only until the next time the corresponding training session is organized. On this basis, the employer may postpone study leave a maximum of two consecutive times, provided that the employer employs more than five people. Employers do not have the right to refuse study leave.

Employers must inform applicants of the granting or postponement of study leave.

Employees are entitled to postpone the use of study leave granted for a maximum of five days by no more than a year, provided that this does not cause considerable inconvenience to the employer. The application concerning study leave that will not be used or will be postponed must always be made in writing, and it must be submitted to the employer no later than two weeks before the start of the study leave.

Employees have the right to interrupt study leave granted for more than 50 working days. The employer must be informed of the interruption in writing no later than four weeks before returning to work. If the employer has made a fixed-term employment contract with a substitute for the duration of the employee’s study leave, the employer is not obligated to employ the employee on study leave during the time for which the substitute’s employment contract must remain in effect pursuant to the law or relevant collective agreement. The employer must inform the employee, in writing and without delay, of the decision made in respect of the request for interruption made by the employee.

If an employee is incapacitated for work during study leave due to illness, childbirth or an accident, and if the incapacity for work lasts for more than seven days, any time in excess of this is not counted in the study leave, provided that the employee requests this immediately from the employer. In this way, the employee can use the interrupted study leave later.