Experiences of discrimination prompted more and more individuals to contact occupational safety and health authorities

Last year, the occupational safety and health authority received 630 contacts related to discrimination at work. This was an increase of slightly more than 20% compared to 2023. Many of the contacts were by employees or jobseekers seeking advice or wondering whether their experience could be discrimination.

Some of the contacts progressed to written enforcement requests, on the basis of which the occupational safety and health authority could initiate an occupational safety and health inspection. A total of 186 enforcement requests related to discrimination were processed and 109 inspections were carried out on the basis of them. 

Nearly half of the inspections concerned compliance with the prohibition of discrimination in connection with the termination of an employment relationship. More than 40% of the inspections concerned discrimination during employment, and about one in ten were related to recruitment. In most cases, the employee felt that some grounds for discrimination had caused changes in work tasks or the assignment of shifts or the terms of employment. 

The largest number of inspections were prompted by suspected discrimination on the basis of health. The next most common cases involved other personal characteristics, such as highlighting of shortcomings. The third most common cases were cases prompted by suspected discrimination related to the person’s nationality, origin or language.

In about one in three of the inspections, the employer was considered to have discriminated against the employee. In these cases, the occupational safety and health inspector obliged the employer to correct its activities and comply with the Non-Discrimination Act.

The occupational safety and health authority also enforces the rules against discrimination through spot checks. We enforced the prohibition of discrimination related to foreign labour during about 760 inspections. Discrimination based on origin, language or nationality was observed in the payment of wages or other minimum terms of employment in 7.5% of the inspections. 

“Discrimination situations are often complex and may involve several different grounds for discrimination. Unawareness of one’s own rights or fear of stigmatisation may prevent reporting. This is why some of the discrimination remains hidden,” explains Senior Officer Ulla Riikonen from the occupational safety and health division of the Regional State Administrative Agency for Southwestern Finland.

More detailed information can be found in the report Enforcement of non-discrimination and prohibition of discrimination in working life in 2024 (pdf, in Finnish). The report will be published on the occupational safety and health administration’s website Tyosuojelu.fi in Swedish and English. 

Advice in cases of discrimination

The occupational safety and health authority’s telephone service is available Mon–Fri 9.00–15.00 at +358 295 016 620. The service is available in English on Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9:00 am – 12:00 noon. You can discuss suspected discrimination anonymously. Enforcement in individual cases requires the employee’s consent.

Media release corrected on 11 June 2025: In about one in three of the inspections, the employer was considered to have discriminated against the employee. Previously, the text incorrectly stated “one in four”.