Farmers’ Holiday and Stand-In Services

The farmers’ holiday and stand-in scheme enables livestock farmers to call on help from farm relief workers to look after their animals while they take annual leave or sick leave, for example.

Farmers’ holidays and stand-in services in Sipoo are organized by the city of Loviisa. The area administered by Loviisa consists of 16 municipalities. The stand-in unit has some 45 relief workers and two leading relief workers, and three clerical employees who work full-time. The unit office is located in Liljendal, in the previous municipal hall.

To whom and on what terms

The right to holiday and stand-in services for livestock farmers, who have at least six animals. The farm’s opera-tions must be taxed in accordance with the Farm Income Tax Act. The farmer, who uses stand-in and relief ser-vices must have statutory MYEL insurance.

Holiday stand-in service is provided free of charge. Remember that a full or reduced fee must be paid for the other stand-in services.

Farmers will receive holiday stand-ins free of charge. Other stand-in services are due to a charge.

Basic information and legislation

A farmer’s substitution services include an annual holiday stand-in worker, farm helpers and relief workers for a fee.

The farmers on a given farm can together decide whether they will use the services of the local unit or arrange for a stand-in personally. If a farmer has chosen to use the local unit’s services, a farm substitute employed by the municipality or a service provider whose services have been procured by the municipality will carry out the necessary daily livestock care carried out by a farmer, while the farmer is on annual leave or sick.

If a farmer has chosen to arrange for a substitute personally, the farmer can purchase the service from a service provider who is in the prepayment register. The local unit will pay compensation to the service provider after receiving and approving an application.

Act on Farmers’ Holiday Stand-in or Substitute Services (In Finnish) http://www.finlex.fi/fi/laki/ajantasa/1996/19961231