This guide is informational. Always verify how the rules apply to your specific case.
You are here: At work → Collective agreements and employment certificates
The guide belongs to At work. It is for the paperwork before it cracks: what binds, what must be on paper, and what you do when the boss says “we don't have anything like that, we go on honor.” Related when it's already a crisis: document first.
Collective agreement-signing union – not “everyone with a logo”
The Co-determination Act is based on workers organizing themselves. The organization that concludes a collective agreement with the employer or the counterpart in the industry is the one that gains negotiation strength: co-determination negotiation, peace obligation when the agreement applies, and often the path to the Labor Court.
Other unions may have members in the same place. They have the right of association and can represent their members in many matters, but they are not automatically a party to the collective agreement that sets the pay scale, working hours, and order of precedence. Ask specifically: which agreement applies, which parties have signed, and which local branch negotiates here.
A union representative appointed according to the Union Representatives Act has the right to the leave required for the assignment and protection against worsened conditions due to the assignment. This is a different mandate than that of the safety representative. Safety representative: safety representative and incident.
What the collective agreement actually does
The collective agreement can supplement and – within fairly wide limits – deviate from certain legal rules, especially in the Working Hours Act. It can also set floors for wages, unsocial hours, overtime, vacation beyond the law, insurance, and order of precedence. A “local agreement” that the boss has written himself in Word is not a collective agreement.
- The employer who is bound must apply the agreement to the work. Claiming you have “never seen it” does not negate it.
- Inferior terms in your document compared to the collective agreement are often invalid to the extent they conflict with the agreement.
- Better terms in a personal agreement may apply, provided they do not violate mandatory law or the structure of the agreement.
- Peace obligation during the agreement period limits industrial actions. It does not remove your right to report incidents, file discrimination complaints, or refuse to sign a buyout.
Employment certificate according to LAS – what should be included
LAS does not require the employment contract to have a specific form. However, the employer must provide written information about all terms of essential significance for the employment (Section 6 c). This is commonly referred to as an employment certificate, employment contract, or “terms basis.” The obligation also applies to short-term employment.
Information according to points 1–7 must be provided as soon as possible, no later than the seventh calendar day after you start working. In the case of special fixed-term employment the form of employment must be specified when the employment is entered into. Information about the client company in leasing must be provided as soon as it is known. Other points (training, vacation, how the employment ends, social security, applicable collective agreement) must be provided no later than within one month.
Some of this information may, when appropriate, be provided as a reference to law, other regulation, or collective agreement. The reference must still be traceable. “See the agreement” without the agreement's name is not information.
If any of the information that should have been provided changes, you must receive written information about the change no later than the day it takes effect (Section 6 e). New location, new percentage, new title, new fixed-term form: paper the same day, not "we'll include it in the March payslip."
When the proof is missing, empty, or worse than the agreement
Template Mini-template: request employment certificate
Subject: Request for written information on employment terms (Section 6 c LAS) I request written information on all terms of significant importance for the employment according to Section 6 c of the Employment Protection Act. I have been working since [date]. I have not received / have only received incomplete information about, among other things: type of employment, salary, working hours, notice period, and applicable collective agreement. I request completion no later than [date, count seven days from start or immediately if the time has already passed]. State the name of the collective agreement and the parties involved.
Missing information does not remove the employment. You are employed anyway. However, it becomes more difficult for the employer to claim terms you never received, and easier for you to show what was missing when a dispute arises. Fixed-term employees can also request information on the total employment period and on previous fixed terms that are relevant for conversion (Section 6 g).
Working hours, breaks, and rest rooms are the next layer: breaks, rest, and pause. When the manager already calls for a conversation about the future: termination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are employment contracts and employment certificates the same thing?
Often they are in the same PDF. Legally, the contract is the parties' intent; Section 6 c is the employer's duty to provide information. A short "welcome aboard" email is not sufficient if essential terms are missing.
Does the collective agreement apply if I am not a union member?
At a workplace bound by an agreement, the employer is generally required to apply the agreement to the work. Membership provides negotiation support, insurance, and often labor court access. Without a union, the dispute more often goes to district court.
Can the manager refer to the collective agreement instead of writing the salary?
For certain points, yes, if the reference is appropriate and the agreement can be found. Salary must still be discernible. A link that no one has is not information.
What happens if the fixed-term is not stated there?
For a fixed-term employment, the form must be specified when the employment is entered into. If it is missing: request it in writing the same day. Do not assume that it is “probably extra as needed.”
Sources
Checked: September 15, 2026.
- LAS (1982:80) Section 6 c – written information about terms
- LAS Section 6 e – information on changed terms
- Co-determination Act (1976:580)
- Union Representatives Act (1974:358)
For those reading under stress
The guide is intended as support when you already have a lot on your mind. You do not need to read everything at once: start with the section that matches where you are today and return when the next step becomes relevant.
Matters with authorities rarely improve by handling everything alone. Ask for help from a support person, lawyer, or relative if you can – especially before decisions with long-term effects.
Common mistakes that make the case more difficult
- Relying only on verbal promises without short written confirmation or follow-up email.
- Waiting to request documents until the conflict is already locked – then it becomes harder to show what was said.
- Writing so long and emotionally that the authority stops responding to the substantive issue.
- Missing deadlines for reconsideration or appeal because the decision was not read verbatim.
Mini-checklist before you leave the guide
- Do I have the date, diary/case number, and name of the person handling it (if you know)?
- Do I know what the next step is: respond, request, remind, appeal, or report?
- Have I saved emails and attachments in a place where I can find them in a week?
