Observation (CEACR) - adopted 2016, published 106th ILC session (2017)

Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No. 111) - Finland (Ratification: 1970)

Legislative developments. The Committee notes with interest the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014), which replaces the previous Non-Discrimination Act (21/2004), and the Act (1329/2014) amending the Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1989). Under the new Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014), the scope of the prohibition of discrimination has been expanded and now includes the additional grounds of political activity, trade union activity and family status. Furthermore, the duty of the authorities to develop and implement an equality plan now extends to all grounds of discrimination and applies to educational institutions as well as employers that regularly have 30 or more employees. The Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1986), which prohibits discrimination between women and men, has been amended to include the prohibition of discrimination based on gender identity and gender expression. The Government indicates that these additional grounds secure the protection of trans and intersex persons against discrimination in line with the Constitution. Furthermore, the Ombudsman for Minorities is now the Ombudsman for Non-Discrimination, with more extensive powers and the competence to deal with all grounds of discrimination prohibited by the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014). The National Discrimination Tribunal and the National Equality Tribunal have been merged into a single National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal. The Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Employment and the Economy and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health organized training on the changes brought about by the new Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014) and the Act amending the Act on Equality between Women and Men (1329/2014), which involved almost 500 labour market operators and experts from companies and labour market organizations, among others. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the application in practice of the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014) and the Act amending the Act on Equality between Women and Men (1329/2014) and any follow-up activities aimed at ensuring understanding and compliance with the Acts.

The Committee is raising other matters in a request addressed directly to the Government.