Frequently asked questions - wage guarantee (FAQ)

Question: My employer has promised to pay my outstanding wage claims but has not done so despite my requests. What should I do?
Answer: You must apply for pay guarantee within three months of the original due date of the claim. If you do not know when your employer will be able to pay your wages, you should submit an application for pay guarantee in order to ensure that the statutory time limit does not expire.
If the employer later pays the claims to you, the pay guarantee application can be withdrawn at any stage of the application process. Always notify the pay guarantee authority of any payments made by the employer if they concern claims you have applied for under the pay guarantee system.

Q: What claims can I apply for under pay guarantee?
A: You may apply for all employment‑related claims, which typically include wages and various wage supplements, overtime compensation, holiday compensation and holiday bonuses. Ordinary and reasonable travel expenses or other costs incurred in the performance of work may also be paid as pay guarantee.
The pay guarantee application form also includes a separate section where you may indicate whether you are claiming interest on the claims. Please note that claims must be applied for within three months of their due date (see the next question).

Q: What is the time limit for submitting an application, and how is it calculated?
A: Claims must be applied for within three months of their due date. This statutory time limit is absolute. The due date of a claim refers to the date on which the claim should have been paid under law or contract, typically the employer’s normal payday.
When the employment relationship ends, all claims that have not yet fallen due usually become payable on the date the employment ends. If the employer has been declared bankrupt, all claims accrued up to that date (including holiday compensation) become due on the date the bankruptcy proceedings commence.
The due date is assessed separately for each claim, and compliance with the time limit is likewise examined on a claim‑by‑claim basis.

Q: Where can I get help with calculating my claims?
A: If you cannot obtain the necessary calculations from your employer or payroll accountant, or if you doubt their accuracy, you may contact your trade union or a legal aid office. The KEHA Centre cannot calculate claims on your behalf, as it acts as the decision‑making authority in pay guarantee matters.

Q: How should claims be entered in the application?
A: In the application, specify the claims you are applying for, itemised by type (e.g. wages, evening allowance, holiday compensation), the period during which the claims accrued, and the date on which they became due. Claims must be itemised by pay period.
Holiday compensation must be itemised by holiday accrual year (1 April–31 March). For holiday pay and related holiday bonuses, the accrual period should be indicated as the period when the holiday was taken. It is also advisable to specify the basis for calculating the claims (e.g. number of hours and hourly wage, or number of holiday days).

Q: What attachments are required for the application?
A: The primary purpose of the attachments you submit is to demonstrate that you have unpaid claims for which you are applying under the pay guarantee system. The amount and grounds of the claims are verified through documents such as payslips, work schedules, travel expense claims, the employment contract, and, in the case of termination of employment, the notice of termination and the employment certificate.
If you do not have documents, you may provide corresponding information in free‑form text, for example in the additional information section of the application. The pay guarantee authority may also request additional documents if necessary to clarify the matter.

Q: I have not received employment‑related documents from my employer. What should I do?
A: Indicate in your application that the employer has not provided the documents. We will send a request for a statement to the employer, which allows us to obtain information about your employment from the employer’s response.
You may also seek assistance from the occupational safety and health authority in obtaining payslips and other employment‑related documents from your employer. More information is available on the occupational safety and health administration’s website.
If you receive employment‑related documents from your employer during the processing of the application, you may submit them to the pay guarantee authority at a later stage.

• Occupational Safety and Health Administration online service (tyosuojelu.fi)

Q: I have paid business expenses on behalf of my employer using my own bank card. Can I apply for reimbursement under pay guarantee?
A: You may include these claims in your pay guarantee application and submit receipts for the expenses as attachments. Pay guarantee may cover travel or other expenses incurred in the performance of work for which the employer is responsible, provided they are ordinary in nature and reasonable in amount.
The KEHA Centre assesses such cases individually based on the pay guarantee application.

Q: Can I submit the application by email?
A: Sending personal identity numbers, wage information or other confidential material by unsecured email is not recommended. However, you may submit your application using secure email by selecting KEHA Centre / Pay Guarantee as the recipient, or by requesting a secure email connection at palkkaturva@keha-keskus.fi.

• palkkaturva@keha-keskus.fi
• Secure Messaging Service (turvaviesti.keha-keskus.fi)

Q: If my employer fails to pay additional wages, should I submit a new application or add them to my original one?
A: New claims cannot be added to an existing application; a new pay guarantee application must always be submitted for new claims. For example, if your original application only covered wages for August, wages for September must be applied for in a new application once they become due.
However, if the amount of a previously applied‑for claim was stated incorrectly, you may adjust the amount in the original application, provided it concerns the same type of claim and accrual period. For example, if you originally applied for hourly wages for 168 hours in August but later realised that the last 8 hours were missing, these may be added to the same application.
If, on the other hand, you entirely forgot to apply for certain claims, such as evening allowances or mileage compensation for August, you must submit a new application for those claims.

Q: My employer has been declared bankrupt. What should I do?
A: The bankruptcy administrator may apply for pay guarantee on behalf of the employees under the so‑called accelerated pay guarantee procedure. In this procedure, the KEHA Centre pays the pay guarantee to the bankruptcy estate, which then acts as the wage payer for the employees. The aim is to pay the claims to employees upon termination of employment, that is, within two weeks of the commencement of the bankruptcy.
If the bankruptcy estate does not submit an application or if the KEHA Centre determines that the conditions for the accelerated procedure are not met, you should submit your own application for your claims. To find out whether the bankruptcy estate will apply on your behalf under the accelerated procedure, contact the bankruptcy administrator.
If you already have an application pending, you do not need to notify the pay guarantee authority of the commencement of the bankruptcy. We will inform the bankruptcy estate of your application and request a statement from the bankruptcy administrator.
If the bankruptcy estate applies on your behalf for the same claims under the accelerated procedure, you may withdraw your own application after the payment has been credited to your account. The withdrawal can most easily be made via the electronic services portal, or alternatively by email with an informal notification.

Q: My employer has informed me that the company I work for is going bankrupt. Can I check whether bankruptcy proceedings have been initiated or are ongoing?
A: You can check free of charge in the Insolvency Register whether a bankruptcy petition has been filed against a company, whether the company is bankrupt, and, if so, who is acting as the bankruptcy administrator.

Question: When will I receive a decision?
Answer: Processing times vary depending on factors such as the employer’s availability and the scope of the necessary investigations, but they generally take several months. Unfortunately, we can only provide an estimate of the average processing time. It is not possible to give an exact date for an individual application’s decision, as new information requirements may arise during the process. If the average processing time has already passed since you submitted your application, you can inquire about its status from the Wage Guarantee customer service. Please note that customer service does not know when you will receive a decision or how long the processing will take. If your application is missing information or attachments, KEHA Centre will contact you.
• Average processing time

Q: I submitted an application. What happens next?
A: If your application needs to be supplemented, we will send you a request for additional information before the hearing stage. To speed up the process, please respond within the given deadline.
After registration and any necessary supplementation, we will request a statement from your employer. If the company is bankrupt, the request will be sent to the bankruptcy estate. If the employer disputes the claims you have applied for, you will have the opportunity to provide your own statement.
Before making a decision, we will request any additional information needed from various parties. At this stage, you may still be asked to provide further clarification regarding your claims.

Q: I cannot respond within the given deadline, or the deadline has already passed. What should I do?
A: You can request an extension by contacting Wage Guarantee customer service.

Q: Do I need to submit anything else?
A: If your application is incomplete, we will send you a request for additional information. The most important thing is that you have indicated in your application which claims you are applying for (e.g., salary, holiday compensation, overtime pay), the amounts, and the periods they relate to. This ensures your application is officially filed for those claims. You can submit attachments or provide missing details later, even after submitting the application. During the decision-making stage, you may receive a request for clarification regarding your application.

Q: I have submitted an application. How do I send attachments?
A: If you submitted your application via the electronic service, you can upload attachments by logging in and clicking the “ADD ATTACHMENT” button on the homepage. For applications submitted by other means, you can mail attachments to KEHA Centre or send them via the secure message service by selecting Uudenmaan ELY Centre / Wage Guarantee as the recipient (registration required). Attachments can also be sent by email to palkkaturva.uusimaa@ely-keskus.fi.

Q: I have not received any confirmation of my application. How can I make sure it was received?
A: If you applied for Wage Guarantee electronically, check in the service that the application status is “Sent.” This confirms that your application has been received. Note that the application is officially filed on the next business day after the date shown in the service, if it was not sent by 16:15 on a business day.
If you sent the application by email, you will receive an email confirmation. If you submitted it by post or directly to KEHA Centre, you can inquire via Wage Guarantee email or phone service.

Q: What stage is my application at?
A: We will contact you if we need additional information or if, for example, the employer disputes your claims in their statement.
If you need more detailed information about the processing stage, you can ask Wage Guarantee customer service. It is advisable to inquire about the decision date only if a significantly longer time than the estimated average processing time has passed, as a more precise estimate can only be given in the final stages of processing.
• Average processing time

Q: Can my application be expedited?
A: Unfortunately, we cannot process individual applications out of order. According to the Administrative Procedure Act, applications must be handled fairly. Applications are generally processed in the order they are received. If you are in a difficult financial situation, we recommend contacting KELA or the authorities handling social assistance in your municipality.

Q: I received an email notification about a request for additional information or a counterstatement in the electronic service, but I cannot find it.
A: After logging in to the electronic service, select your Wage Guarantee application. Then, you will see different tabs, such as “Additional Information,” where you can view the request. Counterstatements, clarifications, and decisions will also appear under separate tabs if they have been sent to you.

Q: I received a counterstatement request regarding the employer’s statement. What does this mean?
A: A counterstatement request is sent if the employer has disputed the claims you applied for or raised issues that may affect the decision. In your counterstatement, you can comment on the employer’s statement and the points raised. Read the employer’s statement and the request carefully and submit your response within the given deadline.

Q: I notice problems at my workplace, such as employee treatment or occupational safety issues. Who should I contact?
A: The Regional State Administrative Agency’s Occupational Safety and Health division is the competent authority to investigate such issues. Read more on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s website (tyosuojelu.fi).
If you suspect a crime, contact the police.

Q: I have agreed with the Enforcement Authority on an enforcement-free month, but the employer cannot pay wages for that period. Will enforcement deductions be applied later to Wage Guarantee payments for that period?
A: The Wage Guarantee authority must comply with any payment prohibition received from the Enforcement Authority as is. For questions related to enforcement-free months or enforcement settlements, please contact the Enforcement Authority directly.

Question: I received money in my account, but I don’t know what was paid to me.
Answer: The decision and the payslip will be delivered to you on the decision date via the Regional Administration’s electronic service, provided you submitted your application through that service. Otherwise, the decision and payslip will be sent by regular mail, so you will receive them with a few days’ delay. The decision shows the claims paid to you, and the payslip shows the deductions made from your gross salary. If you have not received these documents, you can also inquire about them via the Wage Guarantee email or phone service.

Q: Why was my application rejected?
A: Read the reasoning in the decision carefully. If you still have questions afterward, you can contact the case officer (you will find the officer’s contact details on the signature page of the decision under “Notes”).

Q: I want to appeal the decision. How do I proceed?
A: The decision includes instructions on how to appeal a Wage Guarantee decision. Pay special attention to the appeal deadline.

Question: We received a request for a statement regarding an application. Does the employer need to provide a statement, and what is its significance?
Asnswer: A statement is always requested so that the Wage Guarantee authority can properly resolve the matter. A statement confirming that the employer has reviewed the claimed amounts and that they are correct in basis and amount is important for processing. If the request for a statement is not answered, the amounts claimed by the employee will be paid as Wage Guarantee, provided the conditions for payment are met, and the amount will be recovered from the employer’s assets by the state. Failure to respond is interpreted as meaning there is no dispute and the claims have not been paid.
KEHA Centre does not receive information about, for example, ongoing legal disputes. If the statement disputes the claimed amounts, the dispute must be justified, and the statement should include supporting documents such as payslips and receipts of payment.

Q: What should the statement include?
A: The statement must address the questions presented in the request. It should clearly state the company name, the application’s reference number, and the name, position in the company, and contact details of the person giving the statement. If the person giving the statement does not have the authority to represent the company based on their position, a power of attorney must be attached.

Q: We are preparing a statement regarding a Wage Guarantee application. Where can we get advice?
A: You can contact your employer association. Law firms and legal service offices also assist with Wage Guarantee matters. KEHA Centre cannot provide guidance on the detailed content of the statement, as it is the authority that makes the decision in the matter.

Q: We could pay part of the claims applied for in the Wage Guarantee application directly to the employee. How should we proceed?
A: It is recommended to pay everything you can directly to the employee. You must immediately inform the Wage Guarantee authority of the payment, specifying which claims were paid and when, and provide proof of payment. This ensures the payment is taken into account in the Wage Guarantee process.

Q: As an employer, I cannot pay the Wage Guarantee debt to KEHA Centre in one installment. What should I do?
A: You can apply for an extension for paying the Wage Guarantee debt by submitting a free-form application to KEHA Centre. The application must state the reasons for requesting an extension and include a proposed payment schedule. Attach documents showing the employer’s debt and financial situation. Before submitting the application, contact the case officer for the Wage Guarantee decision (contact details can be found on the signature page of the decision under “Notes”).

Q: I was informed that the Enforcement Authority is collecting Wage Guarantee from me/my company. What should I do?
A: The Wage Guarantee decision is sent directly to the Enforcement Authority for collection immediately after it is issued. Payments should primarily be made to the Enforcement Authority. See also the previous question.

Q: How should income register notifications be handled for claims paid as Wage Guarantee?
A: KEHA Centre, as the substitute payer, has reported the claims paid as Wage Guarantee to the income register. The employer must also report the wages paid by the substitute payer on a wage data report for each income earner separately. Special income types intended for substitute payer situations must be used. The payment date should be the date of the Wage Guarantee decision. For more information on income register reporting, refer to the Finnish Tax Administration’s guidelines on payments made by a substitute payer or contact the Tax Administration’s Income Register unit.
• Detailed income register instructions (vero.fi)

Question: Must the administrator provide a statement in a Wage Guarantee matter even if the estate cannot verify the accuracy of the claims?
Answer: KEHA Centre requests that the bankruptcy estate’s administrator provide a statement in all Wage Guarantee cases. If it is impossible to give a statement, for example due to missing accounting records, please inform us of this as well. The statement can be supplemented later during the processing if the estate obtains additional information.

Q: At the time of bankruptcy, the company had unpaid employee claims. How should we proceed?
A: The procedure is described in detail on the “Bankruptcy Estate’s Accelerated Wage Guarantee Procedure” page, which also provides instructions for administrators and payroll clerks. If you have sent the initial bankruptcy notification to Wage Guarantee, you have received the contact details of the case officer handling the accelerated procedure. You should contact them as early as possible to assess the possibility of using the accelerated procedure and to clarify the claims.

Q: The employees’ notice period has expired. Is it still possible to apply for Wage Guarantee under the accelerated procedure?
A: The bankruptcy estate’s Wage Guarantee application can be processed on a case-by-case basis even after the notice period has ended. Please contact the case officer or Wage Guarantee customer service.

Q: As the representative of the bankruptcy estate, I need to submit an income register report and require additional information regarding Wage Guarantee. How should I proceed?
A: All necessary information for the report can be found in the Wage Guarantee decision. If you need more details on income register reporting, refer to the Finnish Tax Administration’s guidelines or contact the Income Register unit.
• Detailed income register instructions (vero.fi)

Question: I have submitted a Wage Guarantee application on behalf of employees through the trade union. How can I get more information about the processing status?
Answer: You can contact Wage Guarantee customer service by email, secure mail (registration required), or phone to request additional information.

Q: The trade union’s application was submitted via the electronic service. How can the officer handling the matter be changed?
A: The officer who submitted the application can authorize another officer to manage the Wage Guarantee case in the electronic service.

Q: The trade union has received the Wage Guarantee decision. Will KEHA Centre also send the decision to the employees?
A: When the trade union is the applicant, KEHA Centre sends the decision only to the union and to the employer or other liable party. It is the union’s responsibility to provide the employees with the information regarding the decision.