Mental Health in Working Life: Your Rights and Opportunities

Mental health is the greatest challenge in Finnish working life in the 2020s. The number of mental health-related sick leaves has grown explosively, and mental health problems are the single largest reason for disability retirement. At the same time, mental health issues still carry a stigma that prevents many from seeking help in time.

Mental Health in the Workplace: Current Situation

Statistics tell a stark story:

• Mental health disorders are the leading cause of sick leave in Finland
• Annually, about 20,000 people transition to disability pension for mental health reasons
• The costs of mental health-related sick leave for employers amount to billions of euros per year
• For those under 35, mental health problems are by far the most common cause of disability

The most common mental health problems affecting working life are depression, anxiety disorders, and burnout.

Your Rights as an Employee

Finnish legislation protects employees with mental health issues in many ways:

Occupational Safety Act: The employer must also ensure mental workplace safety. This means a reasonable workload, proper management, and harassment prevention.

Non-discrimination: A mental health problem is not an acceptable reason for dismissal or unfavorable treatment.

Sick leave right: A mental health problem is an equally valid reason for sick leave as any physical illness.

Occupational healthcare: The employer must provide occupational healthcare, which includes mental health support.

Partial sick leave: Partial sick leave enables gradual return to work.

The Role of Occupational Healthcare

Occupational healthcare is the primary pathway to mental health treatment in working life:

Basic level support: An occupational health doctor or nurse assesses the situation, makes a diagnosis if needed, and plans treatment.

Brief therapeutic services: Many occupational health providers offer brief therapeutic help for 1–5 sessions. This is often the fastest route to getting help.

Referrals: Occupational healthcare can make referrals to specialized care or rehabilitative psychotherapy.

Work capacity consultation: Occupational healthcare can arrange a three-party discussion with the employer to adapt work.

Bringing Up the Topic at Work

Talking about mental health at work can feel frightening. A few guidelines:

You do not need to share everything: You can say you are on sick leave or seeking support without providing detailed diagnosis information. Your diagnosis is a private matter.

Talking to your supervisor: If a mental health problem affects your work, talking with your supervisor can open possibilities for work adaptation.

Employee representative and HR: If you feel your situation is not safe, you can involve an employee representative or turn to HR.

Occupational health is always confidential: Occupational healthcare cannot share your health information with your employer without your consent.

Work Adaptation

If your mental health problem affects your work capacity, work can often be adapted:

• Temporarily lighter duties
• Working time flexibility: Shortened hours, remote work, flexible hours
• Reduced workload: Prioritization and task reorganization
• Additional breaks: Opportunity for recovery during the workday
• Partial sick leave: Working part-time with sick leave compensation support

Returning from Sick Leave

Returning from long-term mental health sick leave requires planning:

1. Occupational health consultation: Before return, a meeting is arranged to agree on return arrangements
2. Gradual return: Workload is increased in stages
3. Support: Support from supervisor, team, and occupational healthcare is essential
4. Follow-up: Regular follow-up visits at occupational healthcare

Therapy as Work Capacity Support

Therapy is an effective way to maintain and restore work capacity:

• Prevention: Therapy can prevent the situation from worsening to require sick leave
• During sick leave: Therapy accelerates recovery and supports return to work
• After return: Continuing therapy helps maintain achieved well-being

A therapy session typically costs 80–120 euros. Kela's rehabilitative psychotherapy significantly reduces costs. Many employers also offer brief therapeutic help through occupational healthcare as part of extended occupational health services.

How to Get Started

If you feel your mental health is affecting your work capacity:

1. Contact occupational healthcare. It is your right
2. Honestly tell the doctor about your situation
3. Ask about brief therapy options
4. Explore the possibility of Kela rehabilitative psychotherapy

Taking care of mental health is not weakness. It is an investment in yourself, your work, and your future. You have the right to be well in working life too.

Where to find a therapist

You can look for a therapist in several places:

• Search services run by the Finnish Psychological Association (Psykologiliitto) and professional bodies.
• Kela's service provider search, if you are applying for rehabilitative psychotherapy (only Kela-approved therapists qualify for reimbursement).
• The Valitse Terapia service and other directories.
• Your own health centre, occupational health service or student health service (YTHS), which can refer you onward.

You can contact several therapists and see with whom the collaboration feels natural.

Sources

• Finnish Institute of Occupational Health: Well-being and work ability
• Kela: Rehabilitative psychotherapy
• Ministry of Social Affairs and Health: Therapy guarantee for children and young people
• Mielenterveystalo (Mental Health Hub)