Can a person in an apprenticeship be laid off?

As a rule, apprenticeship training is provided by agreeing on a fixed-term employment relationship for the duration of the apprenticeship. Under the Employment Contracts Act, an employer may lay off an employee who is in a fixed-term employment relationship only if the employee works as a substitute for a permanent employee and the employer would have the right to lay off a permanent employee if they were working. This is not typically the case in an apprenticeship, so laying off a person in an apprenticeship is not an option. Sometimes a person’s employment relationship that is valid until further notice has already started before the apprenticeship. Even then, the apprenticeship is usually interpreted as a fixed-term employment relationship, and the employer does not have the right to lay off the person in the apprenticeship.

Legislation:​​​​​​​
Act on Vocational Education and Training (531/2017), section 70
Employment Contracts Act (55/2001)