Situations based on other legislation

Under the Workers’ Compensation Act, only employees in an employment relationship or public-service employment relationship must be insured. In addition to the Workers’ Compensation Act, a number of special acts expressly provide for the insurance of groups of persons covered by each respective act. These groups of person are the following:

Farmers and grant recipients

The Workers’ Compensation Act does not apply to farmers and grant recipients, as They are covered by the Farmers' Accident Insurance Act. For further information about the Act, see the Insurance Handbook and the Farmers’ Social Insurance Institution (Mela).

Professional athletes

The Workers’ Compensation Act does not apply to athletes. Provisions on athletes’ insurance cover laid down in the Act on athletes’ accident and pension cover.

Students

The Act on compensation for injury or illness occurred in education-related conditions comparable to work provides for insurance compensation in accidents that occur in practical assignments, such as internships and labour market training, undertaken by students. The Insurance Handbook provides further information on the compensable conditions in which claim events may occur.

Persons in vocational rehabilitation

In situations where vocational rehabilitation involves work and training trials, work coaching or training at a workplace, and this is covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act, Traffic Insurance Act, Patient Insurance Act or Employees Pensions Act (excluding the Act on pensions for public sector employees), the person in rehabilitation must be insured in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation Act. The injured person has the same cover if the vocational rehabilitation is compensated by the State Treasury.

Persons residing in institutions

Under the Act on accident compensation for persons in certain penal, welfare and nursing institutions, persons residing in welfare and penal institutions must be insured against accidents occurring during work that makes up part of the care programme.

Family carers

Under the Family Care Act, the municipality or joint municipal authority which signed the commissioning contract must insure family carers in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation Act. The provisions of the above-mentioned act on employees apply to the family carer, whilst the provisions on the employer apply to the municipality or the joint municipal authority.

Informal carers

In accordance with the Act on the provision of support for informal care, the municipality which signed an agreement with the carer on the provision of support for informal care must insure the carer under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act on employees apply to the carer, whilst the provisions on the employer apply to the municipality. The annual earnings of the informal carer are equivalent to the annual care fee, but no less than the minimum annual earnings. The four-week rule does not apply to the daily allowance; instead, the daily allowance is 1/360 of the annual earnings.

Rehabilitative work

In accordance with the Rehabilitative Employment Act, the municipality must insure individuals performing rehabilitative work under the Workers’ Compensation Act. The provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act on employees apply to the worker, whilst the provisions on the employer apply to the municipality. However, the annual earnings of those in rehabilitative employment equal to the minimum annual earnings laid down in the Workers’ Compensation Act and the daily allowance is 1/360 of the annual earnings.

Work for persons with disabilities

In accordance with the Social Welfare Act, the provider of the employment for persons with disabilities must insure those performing the work under the Workers’ Employment Act. The provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act on employees apply to the worker, whilst the provisions on the employer apply to the provider. However, the annual earnings of those in rehabilitative employment equal to the minimum annual earnings laid down in the Workers’ Compensation Act and the daily allowance is 1/360 of the annual earnings.

Work for persons with learning disabilities

In accordance with the Act on the provision of special care for persons with learning disabilities, the provisions of the Social Welfare Act on work for persons with learning disabilities apply to the work provided under the Act.

Compensation equivalent to that paid under separate statutes

In addition, several acts contain provisions on the compensability of, and compensation for, accidents that have occurred in specific circumstances determined in the Act. Such provisions are laid down in the Act on public employment and business services and in the Rescue Act.

Based on the references given in such acts, the compensation is determined in accordance with the Workers’ Compensation Act. Such claim events are processed by the Treasury which also pays compensation from government funds.

The Insurance Handbook (in Finnish) provides further information on these acts.