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A payslip (palkkalaskelma) is the employee’s receipt of how gross pay becomes net pay. The same statement is also the employer’s proof that wages were paid correctly. Let us first read the payslip line by line, then look at what actually sets the numbers: the collective agreement (TES).
The three parts of a payslip
A clear payslip has three parts:
- Gross pay (bruttopalkka) – the wage earned before deductions.
- Deductions – withholding tax and the statutory employee contributions.
- Net pay (nettopalkka) – the amount paid into the account.
1. Gross pay
Gross pay is the sum of cash wages and ordinary fringe benefits, such as a phone or meal benefit. It is the base from which both withholding tax and the statutory contributions are calculated. In the restaurant sector, collective-agreement evening, night and Sunday premiums are also counted into gross pay – more on those below.
2. Deductions from gross pay
Three items are deducted from gross pay before the net remains.
Withholding tax (ennakonpidätys)
Tax at the rate on your tax card (verokortti). The rate also includes the health insurance daily allowance contribution, which is 0.88 % in 2026.
Pension contribution (TyEL)
The employee's share of earnings-related pension. In 2026 the contribution is 7.3 % for all age groups.
Unemployment insurance
The employee's share of unemployment funding. In 2026 it is 0.89 % of pay.
Both the pension and the unemployment contribution are calculated on gross pay and deducted from net pay. The health insurance daily allowance contribution does not appear as a separate line, because it is included in the withholding rate on the tax card.
What changes in 2026
Two employee contributions rise in 2026:
| Employee contribution | 2025 | 2026 | Δ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pension, TyEL (all age groups) | 7.15 % | 7.3 % | ↑+0.15 pp |
| Unemployment insurance | 0.59 % | 0.89 % | ↑+0.30 pp |
Previously, under-53s and 53–62-year-olds paid different pension rates. From 2026 the contribution is a uniform 7.3 % for everyone.
3. Net pay
Net pay is what remains after deductions and is paid into the account:
Net pay = gross pay − withholding tax − pension contribution (7.3 %) − unemployment insurance (0.89 %)
For example, from a gross wage of 3,000 euros the pension contribution is 219.00 € (7.3 %) and the unemployment contribution is 26.70 € (0.89 %). On top of these, withholding tax is deducted at the rate on the person’s tax card.
Employer’s side costs
The deductions on the payslip are the employee’s contributions. On top of these, the employer pays its own side costs (sivukulut) over and above the wage, which do not appear in the employee’s net pay:
Employer's health insurance contribution
1.91 % of total wages paid in 2026.
Pension, unemployment and accident insurance
The employer's TyEL share plus unemployment, accident and group life insurance. The exact rates are confirmed annually.
So the total cost of a wage to the employer is clearly higher than the gross pay.
The collective agreement sets the pay – the restaurant sector as an example
The statutory deductions are the same for everyone, but the wage itself, the premiums and the working hours are set by the sector’s collective agreement (TES). A TES is an agreement between employer and employee unions that sets minimum terms above the law: minimum wages, working-time premiums and working-time rules. All of these end up on the payslip.
In the restaurant and hospitality sector, the MaRa–PAM collective agreement applies (in force 1 April 2025 – 31 March 2028). Here is what it means in practice for pay.
Minimum wages and increases
The sector’s minimum wages, the table wages (taulukkopalkat), are set by role and years of experience – a personal wage cannot fall below the table level. During the agreement period wages rise in three steps:
| Increase | In force | Raise |
|---|---|---|
| First step | 1 Sep 2025 | +2.5 % |
| Second step | 1 Jun 2026 | +2.9 % |
| Third step | 1 Jul 2027 | +2.4 % |
The increases apply to both personal wages and the table wages, totalling about 7.8 % over the agreement period.
Working-time premiums
On top of the base wage, premiums are paid according to the time of the shift, and they add to gross pay:
Evening premium (iltalisä)
1.40 €/h for work done in the evening (from 1 Sep 2025).
Night premium (yölisä)
2.37 €/h for work done at night (from 1 Sep 2025).
Sunday work
Work on Sundays and public holidays is paid at a 100 % increased rate under the Working Hours Act.
Because the premiums are counted into gross pay, they also increase the deductions and the employer’s side costs.
Working time in three-week periods
In the restaurant sector working time is tracked not weekly but in three-week periods (kolmiviikkoisjakso):
Regular working time
A maximum of 112.5 hours per three weeks. With a locally agreed averaging system, a single period may be up to 130 hours (over a period of up to 6 cycles) or 136 hours (up to 9 cycles).
Days off and night shifts
There may be at most 7 working days between days off (max 7 consecutive working days). A maximum of 5 consecutive night shifts is allowed (up to 7 with the employee's consent).
These rules directly shape how shifts are planned and how much in premiums and possible overtime compensation accrues on the payslip.
Read more about the changes during the agreement period: The MaRa collective agreement for 2025–2028.
Payroll is part of our accounting service
Wage calculation, interpreting the collective agreement, payslips, Incomes Register filings and insurance contributions are all handled together – at a clear price per payslip, with no hidden fees. See the payroll service.
Sources: Finnish Tax Administration, Government Decree on health insurance contribution percentages for 2026 (1026/2025); Finnish Centre for Pensions (ETK) and Työeläke.fi, employee pension contribution 2026; Employment Fund (Työllisyysrahasto) and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, unemployment insurance contributions 2026; Matkailu- ja Ravintolapalvelut MaRa ry & PAM, collective agreement 2025–2028 (tes.mara.fi, working time and wages); Working Hours Act (Sunday work).