Equality and non-discrimination

The Finnish Union of University Researchers and Teachers endeavours to advance equality and non-discrimination in the universities as well as in other workplaces in which its members are employed.

The Union advises and informs its members on matters related to equality and non-discrimination that may arise during the recruitment process, during and at the end of an employment relationship, and in relation to pregnancy and parental leaves, and foreign membership. 

The concept of equality can be understood to signify equality between men and women as well as equality between persons in a broader sense. As a legal concept, equality refers, in practice, to equality between men and women and to the Act on Equality between Women and Men (609/1986).

Non-discrimination can be understood as a broader concept that refers to the equality between all people. As a legal concept, non-discrimination refers to the Non-Discrimination Act (1325/2014) and the grounds for discrimination that are particularly specified in the law, such as skin colour, religion, ethnical background, age, health status and related factors. Other laws also contain provisions on equality and discrimination in general. The Employment Contracts Act (55/2001), for example, has its own provisions. It is wise to note that the content of all these laws is not outlined in the same manner, nor are, for example, the grounds for discrimination entirely the same.