Wage Guarantee
The purpose of the wage guarantee is to secure employees’ wages and other employment-related receivables when the employer is unable to pay them due to insolvency. An employer may be insolvent, for example, due to bankruptcy.
An employee can apply for wage guarantee themselves, or they may authorize a trade union to apply on their behalf. With the consent of the KEHA Centre, the bankruptcy estate may also apply for wage guarantee for employees. In such cases, a fast-track separate procedure is used, and its conditions are determined by the KEHA Centre and the bankruptcy estate’s administrator. Wage guarantee can be applied for electronically via the Regional Administration’s e-service portal. All wage guarantee applications are processed by the KEHA Centre.
Wage guarantee can be paid for receivables arising from an employment relationship that the employer is obligated to pay to the employee under the employment contract, collective agreement, or law. However, the Wage Guarantee Act may limit the amount of receivables that can be paid.
Once wage guarantee has been paid to the employee, the amount is recovered from the employer or their bankruptcy estate, including interest, and returned to the state.
Processing Time
For decisions made during August and September 2025, the average processing time for wage guarantee applications was approximately ten months. The average processing time of past applications does not directly indicate how long it will take to process a new application. In September 2025, most decisions were made on applications submitted in July, August, September, and October 2024.
The wage guarantee customer service cannot estimate when you will receive a decision or how long your application will take to process. If your application is missing information or attachments, the KEHA Centre will contact you.
Contact Information
Phone Service
0295 020 020 (Mon–Fri, 12:00–14:00). Call charges depend on your subscription agreement.
Email
- palkkaturva@keha-keskus.fi
- Secure Messaging Service (requires registration)
Postal Address
KEHA Centre / Wage Guarantee
P.O. Box 54, 00521 Helsinki