Finnish lawmakers voted 102-72 to approve a milder version of a controversial government bill aimed at making it easier for small firms to fire employees.The original draft bill would have allowed firms will fewer than 20 workers to essentially strip workers of protection from summary dismissal. However after strong pushback from labour unions including strikes and other forms of industrial action, government reduced the firing threshold to firms with 10 employees.The version passed in Parliament on Tuesday included no mention of employee numbers. Instead, the bill that MPs approved called for the number of a firm’s employees to determine the relevance and number of redundancies implemented.In promoting the bill, the government had previously argued that small firms would be more likely to hire new employees if it were easier for them to fire others. However any positive employment impact might have been tempered by application of the law and by case law established in the … [Read more...] about Finnish MPs approve watered-down version of controversial firing law
Finnish
Finnish president buys lakeside cottage, paper reports
On Monday newspaper Ilta-Sanomat reported that Finnish President Sauli Niinistö has purchased a lakeside cottage in Lohja, a municipality in southern Finland, about 60km west of Helsinki.The property's main structure is a modest 100-squre-metre log cabin with views of the lake and was purchased by the president on 6 November, according to the paper.The property's real estate listing, which has since been taken offline, said the house features a living room with a fireplace, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and a bathroom with an indoor sauna. There’s a lakefront sauna building on the property, as well.The asking price for the property was 400,000 euros, according to the paper.Story continues after photo. Before the sale, the cottage was reportedly rented out to travelers. As recently as last Sunday it was still possible to rent the cabin at a rate of 250 euros per day via the online travel site Tripadvisor.When it was still being rented out, the presentation of the cottage's … [Read more...] about Finnish president buys lakeside cottage, paper reports
Finnish Court Outlaws Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Data Gathering Methods
The Supreme Administrative Court of Finland has ruled that Jehovah’s Witnesses* in the country can no longer collect personal information of other people and compile name lists without obtaining the prior consent of those whose data is being gathered. © Photo : Thurston County Sheriff's OfficeTwitter Riled Up Over Suspected Arson Attacks Against Jehovah's Witnesses in USThis development reportedly prompted the Finnish Interior Ministry's Data Protection Board to issue a six-month deadline to Jehovah’s Witnesses “to ensure that personal information is no longer gathered for the group's own purposes.” READ MORE: You're in the Army Now: Jehovah's Witnesses No Longer Exempt From Finnish Draft Earlier this year, the Finnish government also ruled that the legislation which allows Jehovah's Witnesses to avoid military service is discriminatory and contradicts the constitution, and that in the future, the … [Read more...] about Finnish Court Outlaws Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Data Gathering Methods
Muscat, Prime Minister of Finland discuss Finnish Presidency priorities
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Prime Minister of Finland Juha Sipilä held a working dinner to discuss the Finnish Presidency as part of a tour of member states before taking up the Presidency of the Council of the European Union next July 2019. The dinner was held at Villa Francia, in Lija. The Prime Minister of Finland discussed the priorities of the upcoming presidency with his Maltese counterpart. The discussions then focused on the multi-annual financial framework, the conclusion of the legislative files on a plan for long-term migration, the situation in Libya and the Mediterranean, as well as climate change and the use of technology, all of which are set to be priorities for the Finnish presidency. … [Read more...] about Muscat, Prime Minister of Finland discuss Finnish Presidency priorities
Finnish police apprehend one of Nordics’ most-wanted after high-speed chase
Police captured Jani Kellokumpu, a Swedish national, following a high-speed car chase on Friday evening that ended on foot in a forest. The 37 year-old was also wanted by Finnish authorities for manslaughter. Authorities said Kellokumpu has killed one person in the past and is now suspected of committing manslaughter in northern Sweden. In 2016 Kellokumpu was detained in absentia by a Swedish court on charges of manslaughter and attempted manslaughter after intentionally colliding with a truck while driving under the influence in Haparanda.Police said Kellokumpu had been hiding out in Sweden and Finland. Friday's sting was the result of Nordic police force cooperation.Swedish newspaper Expressen was the first to report the news. … [Read more...] about Finnish police apprehend one of Nordics’ most-wanted after high-speed chase