“I wouldn’t have made it without help from the Legal Assistance” – Court orders compensation for wrongful termination

Topics

• Labour law
• Legal assistance

Perttu Vaittinen, who worked as a corporate employee in the industrial sector, found himself in an unexpected situation when he was laid off following change negotiations while he was in the middle of a partial parental leave. Faced with this unclear situation, Perttu contacted YTK’s Legal Assistance service. The case led to legal proceedings, which ended in a significant victory for Perttu in district court. The Legal Assistance played a decisive role.

Perttu Vaittinen, who worked in the industrial sector, was dismissed at the end of change negotiations, even though he was on partial parental leave at the time. The situation immediately raised questions, and Perttu decided to seek help from the Legal Assistance service.

“I immediately set out to investigate the impact of my partial parental leave on the termination. I think I logged onto the YTK website that very same day to look for information. Luckily, I had been paying a few tens of euros a year on top of my unemployment fund and had also joined YTK Worklife,” Perttu explains.

According to him, seeking help was easy. 

“First, I left a call request with the Legal Assistance. The very first lawyer told me on the phone that the entire termination might be unlawful.”

After the initial contact, Perttu looked into the matter himself for a while following the guidance he received, but discussions with his employer proved difficult. He contacted the Legal Assistance again, and a lawyer took the case on through the Premium service.

The process proceeded smoothly: the lawyer handled the requests for clarification and correspondence with the employer.

Since the matter could not be resolved amicably, Perttu decided to take the case to court. He utilized the legal expenses insurance included in his YTK Worklife membership, which covered the legal costs incurred after the deductible.

A preliminary hearing and a main hearing were held in Perttu’s case. A lawyer supported Perttu throughout the process.

“The lawyers took full control of the case and stood up for me”

In the end, the district court ruled that the termination was unlawful and discriminatory. The employer was ordered to pay Perttu over 40 000 euros in compensation, including interest, as well as to cover the legal costs. The judgment is not yet final, so it is possible that the case will proceed to the Court of Appeal.

“I received all the help I could need in a situation like this from the Legal Assistance – including an objective view of my situation. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to seek and receive legal assistance.”

Perttu particularly praises the work of Legal Assistance’s lawyers. 

“I was treated very well throughout the entire process. The lawyers took full control of the case and stood up for me.”

Without help, the outcome could have been very different. According to him, the Legal Assistance’s role in the situation was crucial. 

“I probably would have believed my employer’s baseless arguments and strange interpretations of the law and ended up without justice. I was perhaps too naive in my trust.”

Don’t face an unclear situation alone

“Employees who are pregnant or on family leave have enhanced protection against dismissal, and employees on family leave also have strong protection regarding their right to return to work. Terminating the employment of a pregnant employee or one on family leave therefore involves many special considerations that the employer must take into account when considering termination. I recommend that employees contact a lawyer if they have questions about the termination of their employment,” says Iiris Härmä, the attorney and Master of Laws who handled Perttu’s case.

Perttu also encourages others to reach out to the Legal Assistance without hesitation and as soon as possible if they have any concerns regarding their own employment relationship. 

“On my very first day, the Legal Assistance confirmed that I may have been treated unfairly. Not to mention the entire legal process. I wouldn’t have made it through it without the Legal Assistance’s help.” 

“I can warmly recommend the Legal Assistance to anyone who has even the slightest suspicion that they have been treated unfairly. It’s worth seeking help, especially if you aren’t an employment lawyer yourself.”

What Legal Assistance?

• A service that provides comprehensive assistance to YTK Worklife members in employment-related disputes.
• In addition to YTK Worklife’s in-house lawyers, the Legal Assistance employs dozens of OpusLex lawyers across Finland.
• Your case will always be handled by an independent professional.
• You’ll receive advice from a lawyer specializing in labor law right from your first contact.
• The Legal Assistance provides advice from the very first day of your membership and handles cases without any out-of-pocket costs once you’ve been a member of YTK Worklife for at least six months.
• Legal expenses insurance is your safety net if the matter is not resolved through general advice or the Premium service*.
• The Legal Assistance is included in the YTK Worklife membership fee, which is only 31 euros per year.

*You must have been a member of YTK Worklife for at least 6 months prior to the incident.

The Legal Assistance can help you in situations such as these:

• You haven’t been paid your wages
• There is uncertainty surrounding your termination
• You have questions about your employment contract
• You have been offered a severance agreement
• You have experienced workplace bullying
• You are considering fixed-term employment, family leave, or even annual leave