If you hire an employee

As a self-employed person you become an employer if you hire an employee. Employers have obligations related to benefits and reimbursements from Kela.

Occupational healthcare

The employer must arrange statutory preventive occupational healthcare for the employees. Kela reimburses a share of the costs for occupational healthcare.

Daily allowances

If you pay wages or salaries during the employee’s sick leave, parental leave or rehabilitation, Kela can pay the allowance to you. Such allowances are for instance sickness allowances and daily allowances for parents. Kela benefits payable to the employer also include compensation for annual leave costs related to family leaves and family leave compensation.

National incomes register

Report the salaries and wages paid to the employees to the national incomes register within 5 days of the date of payment.

Employment abroad

Inform Kela or the Finnish Centre for Pensions (Eläketurvakeskus) if you send an employee on a posting to work abroad. Work abroad may affect the employee’s social security. Check what an employer must do in different international situations.

Health insurance

The employer also participates in the financing of health insurance.

The e-services make it easier for self-employed persons who are also employers

You can handle almost all Kela-related matters that concern you as an employer online in our e-service for employers. Please note that our e-service is only available in Finnish and Swedish. In the e-service you can for instance apply for allowances and claim reimbursements for the costs for occupational health services, check payment details, update contact information and bank account details as well as view decisions. You sign in to the e-service with suomi.fi authentication.

Who handles the employer's contacts with Kela?

If you are the managing director of a company or an entrepreneur, you can handle employer contacts with Kela online yourself on the basis of your position (Employers section, in Finnish). Sign in to the e-services via the suomi.fi service using strong authentication. You do not need separate suomi.fi e-Authorizations.

If the company’s Kela-related matters are handled by someone else, you must give this person acting on your behalf Suomi.fi e-Authorizations (suomi.fi). If for instance payroll management is handled by an accounting firm, you must authorise the accounting firm to use the e-service for employers on behalf of your company.

You can also use paper forms.

Guidance via chat service, by phone and by e-mail

Kela provides service to employers via chat services and by phone. Guidance is provided in matters related to daily allowances. In matters that are not urgent, you can also contact Kela through secure e-mail. Guidance on issues related to occupational healthcare is provided by phone and by e-mail.