Summer staff in a restaurant: contract, hours and holidays
In short
- A summer worker's contract runs until further notice unless it has been made fixed-term for a justified reason (MaRa TES 4 § 1, 5 § 1). MaRa TES is the restaurant-sector collective agreement.
- For a part-timer you agree a minimum working time per kolmiviikkoisjakso (the three-week period), either fixed or as an average; a part-timer is an employee whose working time averages under 112,5 hours in three weeks (MaRa TES 7 § 2).
- A shift must be at least four hours long, unless the employee asks for a shorter one or there is a justified reason (MaRa TES 7 § 3).
- In an employment relationship shorter than a year, leave accrues at two weekdays per full lomanmääräytymiskuukausi (leave-accrual month), and a month is full with 14 working days or 35 working hours (vuosilomalaki, the Annual Holidays Act, 5–6 §, MaRa TES 27 § 2).
What is a summer worker's employment relationship in a restaurant?
A summer worker's employment is an ordinary restaurant-sector employment relationship made for a fixed term: MaRa TES has no separate definition of a summer worker, and a contract runs until further notice unless it has been made fixed-term for a justified reason (MaRa TES 4 § 1).
Here is where the line appears: in early June a school pupil, a student and an experienced cook start, and each needs a contract, an hours model and a wage. This is tricky because a fixed term needs a justification, and because pay depends on age, education and experience.
- A fixed term needs a justified reason. The TES names, among others, the nature of the work, a substitution or a traineeship, and a reason connected to the company's operations or the work (MaRa TES 5 § 1).
- The employment contract is made in writing (MaRa TES 3 §).
- With a part-timer you agree the hours model, see the next section (MaRa TES 7 § 2).
The start of employment also includes a harjoitteluaika (training period): six months, or two months if the employee has the vocational education the job requires. Work experience shortens it, and a trainee's pay is 80 % of the 0–2 years wage table (MaRa TES 14 § 2). Without sector education and work experience, a three-month contract therefore fits entirely inside the training period.
Four limits for a summer worker
- 112,5 ha part-timer's average working time in three weeks is below thisMaRa TES 7 § 2
- 4 hminimum length of a shiftMaRa TES 7 § 3
- 2 weekdaysof leave per full month in an employment under a yearAnnual Holidays Act 5 §
- 14 days or 35 hfor a full leave-accrual monthAnnual Holidays Act 6 §
How are a part-time summer worker's hours agreed?
With a part-timer you agree the minimum working time per three-week period: either a fixed one, which must be met in every period, or an average one, whose fulfilment is checked over a six-month period (MaRa TES 7 § 2). In a fixed-term employment the minimum working time must be met over the duration of the employment (MaRa TES 7 § 2 B).
If working time falls below the agreed minimum, the employer pays compensation for the hours not received.
Summer demand that swings makes this tricky: a rainy week empties the terrace, but the agreed number of hours stays. No compensation is paid if the hours were lost for a reason attributable to the employee or because of unpaid absence (MaRa TES 7 § 2 A).
When the employer needs more staff for tasks suited to part-timers, the work is offered first to part-time employees, up to 112,5 hours per three-week period (MaRa TES 6 §). More: offering extra work to part-timers.
Example: a part-timer with a 75-hour minimum
- 0–75 h · Agreed minimum working time · met in every period
- 75–112,5 h · Extra work to offer · offered to part-timers first
How short or long can a summer shift be?
A shift must be at least four hours long. At the employee's request or for a justified reason it can be shorter. A justified reason can relate to the need for staff, opening hours or the short duration of the work, and it must be explained to the employee before the roster is drawn up. The maximum length is 10 hours, and a longer shift requires the employee's consent (MaRa TES 7 § 3).
An extra server needed for a two-hour lunch rush is a case where the four-hour limit applies. More on the topic: employment relationship.
How much leave does a summer worker accrue?
In an employment relationship shorter than a year, leave accrues at two weekdays for each full leave-accrual month, and after a year at 2,5 weekdays. The leave-accrual year runs 01.04.–31.03., and a fraction of a day is rounded up to a full leave day (Annual Holidays Act (162/2005) 5 §, MaRa TES 27 § 2).
A full leave-accrual month is a calendar month in which at least 14 working days have accrued. If the contract has so few working days that 14 is not reached, the month is full with 35 working hours (Annual Holidays Act 6 §). This is tricky because there are two ways to count: leave is earned either on a day basis or an hour basis (MaRa TES 27 § 2).
What does a three-month summer contract look like in numbers?
Example: a server, fixed-term contract 01.06.2026–23.08.2026 (12 weeks, four three-week periods), fixed minimum working time 75 h per period and an example wage of 13,50 €/h. The example wage is not a TES table wage, and a training period, age or pupil status would change it.
| Item | Calculation | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum working time | 4 × 75 h = 300 h | MaRa TES 7 § 2 A |
| Pay for the minimum hours | 300 h × 13,50 €/h = 4 050 € | example wage |
| Maximum probation period | half of 12 weeks = 6 weeks | MaRa TES 3 § |
| Leave accrual | 3 full months × 2 weekdays = 6 weekdays | Annual Holidays Act 5 § |
| Holiday pay estimate | 9 % × 4 050 € = 364,50 € | MaRa TES 27 § 10.3 B |
| One period ends at 67,5 hours | (75 − 67,5) h × 13,50 €/h = 101,25 € compensation | MaRa TES 7 § 2 A |
How Plana helps
Plana is a shift-planning and working-time tracking service made for restaurants. In the Staff, contracts and permits section the employment contract is signed on the phone, and residence permits and authority notifications stay on schedule. The Annual leave section calculates leave-day accrual under the Annual Holidays Act, and leave goes on the same list as shifts. In the employee app a summer worker sees their own shifts, subscribes to them in the phone calendar and gets notifications in four languages. Rest times and period hours are checked as you plan, and an unlawful shift will not save. The features are on the features page, and a free trial starts without a demo or training.
- Staff, contracts and permitsContracts are signed on the phone. Residence permit expiries and immigration notices stay on schedule.
- Employee appOwn shifts, calendar sync and notifications, in four languages.
- Annual leaveHoliday accrual under the Annual Holidays Act, planned on the same roster.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- Collective agreement for employees in tourism, restaurant and leisure services 2025–2028, Working time, 7 § and 6 §
- MaRa TES, Employment relationship, 3 § Employment contract and probation period and 5 § 1 Conditions for a fixed-term contract
- MaRa TES, Pay, 14 § 2 Training period and 15 § 2 Employee under 18
- MaRa TES, Annual leave, 27 § 2 Leave accrual and 27 § 11 b Holiday compensation when employment ends
- Annual Holidays Act (162/2005), 5 § and 6 §