Topical issues

Some Finnish authorities have ruled that platform workers (for example, food couriers) are employees while others view them as self-employed. The contradictory rulings are unfortunate as it would be important for both platform companies and platform workers to clarify the social security of platform workers. Employees are insured by the employer; the self-employed have to insure themselves.

In 2020, the first-time insured under the earnings-related pension acts numbered 74,000, which is 25 per cent fewer than in 2019. The last time the number of young persons insured for the first time dipped was in the wake of the financial crisis in 2009. The average monthly earnings of Finnish employees in 2020 were …

Working abroad – within Europe or outside of it – increases in popularity. It also raises many questions.

The social security agreement between Finland and Japan will enter into force on 1 February 2022. Ville Skinnari, Minister for Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade, and Takashi Murata, Japan’s Ambassador to Finland, exchanged notes on 25 November to bring the bilateral agreement into force. When the agreement enters into force, workers posted to a Contracting State will avoid double pension and unemployment insurance contributions.

Two of three pension recipients find it somewhat easy to cover everyday expenses. However, according to a fresh study by the Finnish Centre for Pensions, one in ten reported great financial strain.

The renewed Pension Indicators offers an up-to-date perspective on the current status of Finnish pensions and on their realised and predicted development for those interested in pension policy. This new version of the publication is more illustrative and graphic than previous ones.

This year, Finland ranked seventh in the international Global Pension Index comparison. Although the country’s overall index value rose from 2020, Finland dropped two notches as Iceland and Norway passed it on the score board. Once again, the Finnish pension system was ranked the most transparent and reliable pension system in the world.

Mental disorders are a major cause of disability among working-age people in Finland and the other Nordic countries. What are the similarities and differences and what can we learn from each other to support mental health and work ability? Join our webinar on Monday 8 November.

Since early September, Sweden has paid an income pension complement to pensioners with a small pension. In the future, those who have worked in Sweden do not have to claim the complement separately; instead, the right to the complement will be checked automatically when handling pension claims.

Allan Paldanius, M.Sc. (Mathematics), has been appointed Director of Research, Statistics and Planning and member of the Management Group of the Finnish Centre for Pensions.