Municipal trials on employment

The customers of the municipalities in pilot areas are unemployed and employed jobseekers and jobseekers currently using services promoting employment, who are living in a municipality that is participating in the trial, and who:

• do not meet the requirements for receiving earnings-related unemployment benefit, i.e. they receive labour market support or basic unemployment allowance from Kela,

• are less than 30 years old; or

• are immigrants (nationality other than Finnish) or foreign-language speakers (native language other than Finnish, Swedish or Sámi).

Even if the jobseeker’s search for work has ended, the jobseeker will become a customer again if they later start looking for work again during the trial.

As a result of a complaint, the Regional State Administrative Agency may investigate whether the municipality of the pilot area has complied with the legislation in force. We also carry out risk-based supervision and supervision based on the control plan which may include inspection visits to municipalities.

In particular, we actively monitor that services are equally available to everyone and that private life protection and linguistic rights are followed.

With regard to municipal trials on employment, we supervise the legality of activities only in the municipalities involved in the trial. The oversight of the legality of TE Offices’ tasks is not the responsibility of the Regional State Administrative Agency.

The municipal trials on employment involve 118 municipalities which form 25 pilot areas.

1. Municipal trials on employment in Espoo: Espoo
2. Municipal trials on employment in the Southern Ostrobothnia region: Alavus, Isojoki, Karijoki, Kurikka, Kauhajoki, Teuva and Soini
3. Municipal trials on employment in Helsinki: Helsinki
4. Municipal trials on employment in Hämeenlinna: Hämeenlinna, Hattula, Janakkala
5. Municipal trials on employment in the Joensuu region: Joensuu, Outokumpu, Liperi, Polvijärvi, Kontiolahti
6. Municipal trials on employment in Jyväskylä: Jyväskylä, Laukaa, Muurame, Äänekoski
7. Municipal trials on employment in Jämsä-Keuruu-Saarijärvi: Jämsä, Keuruu, Saarijärvi
8. Municipal trials on employment in Kainuu: Hyrynsalmi, Kajaani, Kuhmo, Sotkamo, Suomusalmi, Paltamo, Ristijärvi
9. Municipal trials on employment in the Kokkola region: Kokkola, Kannus, Perho, Kaustinen, Veteli, Halsua, Toholampi, Lestijärvi
10. Municipal trials on employment in Kuopio: Kuopio, Iisalmi, Lapinlahti, Siilinjärvi, Sonkajärvi, Vieremä
11. Municipal trials on employment in the Lahti region: Lahti, Hollola, Asikkala, Kärkölä, Orimattila
12. Municipal trials on employment in the Mikkeli region: Mikkeli, Juva, Hirvensalmi, Mäntyharju, Kangasniemi, Puumala, Pertunmaa
13. Municipal trials on employment in the Oulu region: Oulu, Hailuoto, Ii, Kempele, Liminka, Lumijoki, Tyrnävä, Muhos
14. Municipal trials on employment in Pirkanmaa: Tampere, Akaa, Hämeenkyrö, Ikaalinen, Juupajoki, Kangasala, Kihniö, Lempäälä, Mänttä-Vilppula, Nokia, Orivesi, Parkano, Pirkkala, Punkalaidun, Pälkäne, Ruovesi, Sastamala, Urjala, Valkeakoski, Vesilahti, Virrat, Ylöjärvi
15. Municipal trials on employment in the Pori region: Pori, Kokemäki, Ulvila
16. Municipal trials on employment in Porvoo: Porvoo
17. Municipal trials on employment in the Raahe region: Raahe, Pyhäjoki, Siikajoki
18. Municipal trials on employment in Raseborg and Hanko: Raseborg, Hanko
19. Municipal trials on employment in the Rovaniemi region: Rovaniemi, Tornio, Kemijärvi, Sodankylä
20. Municipal trials on employment in the Salo region: Salo, Marttila, Koski Tl
21. Municipal trials on employment in Savonlinna: Savonlinna
22. Municipal trials on employment in Seinäjoki and Ilmajoki: Seinäjoki, Ilmajoki
23. Municipal trials on employment in the Turku region: Turku, Laitila, Paimio, Sauvo, Uusikaupunki
24. Municipal trials on employment in Vantaa and Kerava: Vantaa, Kerava
25. Municipal trials on employment in the Ylivieska region: Ylivieska, Alavieska, Kalajoki, Merijärvi, Oulainen

When we handle complaints, we have the means of administrative control laid down in the Administrative Procedure Act at our disposal. We can provide administrative guidance to the municipality in the pilot area to help them correct any shortcomings. In connection with the supervision, we can also give a warning to the municipality of the pilot area or the official responsible for the incorrect operation.

The Regional State Administrative Agency can also use coercive measures if there are significant shortcomings in the organisation of services in the pilot area or the municipality participating in the trial, or if the activities are otherwise illegal.

We can give the municipality in the pilot area an order to correct or remove the shortcomings. If the municipality or region of the pilot area does not comply with the order, we may order the activities to be partly or completely suspended.  

Municipalities in the pilot areas have an obligation to provide sufficient statutory services to ensure the functioning of the labour market, the availability of skilled labour and to promote the integration of immigrants in a manner that ensures the equality of its customers.

During the municipal trials on employment, municipalities in the pilot regions will organise the following employment and business services:

• employment services
• information and advisory services
• vocational and career guidance.

The municipality of the pilot area can guide its customers to

• expert evaluations
• coaching
• trials
• labour market training.

A municipality in the pilot area grants, on behalf of the State,

• pay subsidies
• start-up grants
• discretionary expense allowances.

The municipality in the pilot area may decide

• on the prerequisites for granting unemployment benefits to support a jobseeker’s independent studies
• on the prerequisites for supporting an immigrant's independent studies.

Alongside the TE Office, the municipality of the pilot area may

• publish vacancies and notify jobseekers of them in accordance with the employer's instructions and introduce jobseekers to employers.

In addition, the municipalities in the pilot areas carry out the tasks referred to in the Act on cross-sectoral joint service promoting employment and the Act on Rehabilitative Work.

A municipality in the pilot area is responsible for organising services and procedures for its customers in accordance with the Act on the Promotion of Immigrant Integration.

When providing public employment and business services, the municipality in the pilot area must comply with the provisions laid down in the Act on Public Employment and Business Service regarding the provision of services, free services, fairness and equality, and the promotion of equality between genders.

In an individual case, the TE Office might not transfer a customer to the municipal trial for the following reasons:

• safeguarding the customer's linguistic rights
• avoiding a customer relationship that does not serve the customer’s benefit; or
• other justified reasons.

The customer's situation and personal circumstances may change during the municipal experiment. For example, a customer might have to stay outside of their municipality of residence for long periods because they are receiving medical treatment elsewhere. If the customer is not satisfied with the official responsible for their affairs, it is not considered to be an obstacle for the transfer.

A TE Office may transfer a person to be a customer at another TE Office or a municipality in the pilot area that is not their municipality of residence if:

1. the customer requests it,
2. the transfer is necessary to safeguard the customer's linguistic rights, to avoid an inappropriate customer relationship from the customer's perspective, or for a justified reason related to the customer's safety; and
3. the transfer does not jeopardise the customer's ability to receive the services that they need.

When a TE Office transfers a person to a customer at a municipality other than their own, it needs approval for the transfer from the municipality to which the customer requests the transfer.

The general obligations of a jobseeker who is a customer of a municipality in the pilot area are:

1. Apply for work and education.
2. Participate in interviews organised by the municipality of the pilot area.
3. Participate in the preparation and revision of an employment plan or a corresponding plan.
4. Carry out the steps listed in the employment plan or corresponding plan.
5. Inform the municipality of the pilot area of how they have started following the plan within the agreed time limits and in the agreed manner.
6. Seek services agreed upon in the employment plan that support the job search and promote labour market capacity and employment.