Department for Work and Gender Equality

The Department for Work and Gender Equality (TTO) guides and directs the supervision and administration of occupational safety and health, drafts legislation and policies on occupational safety and health, and conducts international cooperation in the field of occupational safety and health.

In addition, the Department prepares and develops the Government’s gender equality policy and gender equality legislation and gender mainstreaming. 

The Department is also responsible for dealing with matters pertaining to holiday and stand-in services and the European Union’s structural fund projects and matters that have been assigned by law to the Ministry in its capacity as the occupational safety and health authority.

Performance guidance

The Department is responsible for the performance guidance of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Division at the Regional State Administrative Agency and for the performance guidance of the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health.

Units and personnel of the Department

The Director General of the Department for Work and Gender Equality is Raimo Antila.

Groups and responsibilities of the Department

Steering and Field Operations Unit

  • deals with the supervision, administration and steering of occupational safety and health
  • steers the regional activities of occupational safety and health
  • steers the safety of equipment and the work of the occupational safety and health authorities

Director of Field Operations Arto Teronen

Legislation Unit

  • prepares and develops legislation concerning occupational safety and health
  • provides guidelines and monitors the implementation of statutes
  • prepares matters concerning the general applicability of collective agreements for the Board for Ratification of the Validity of Collective Agreements

Director Antti Janas

Policy Unit

  • evaluates and prepares strategies and policy guidelines on occupational safety and health, occupational health care, work ability and wellbeing at work
  • coordinates development associated with wellbeing at work
  • is responsible for carrying out national and EU-level tasks for the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work
  • handles issues pertaining to the European Union’s structural fund projects
  • handles holiday and stand-in services for agricultural entrepreneurs and fur farmers, as well as substitute help for reindeer breeders

Director Liisa Hakala

Gender Equality Unit

  • prepares and develops the Government’s gender equality policy
  • prepares and develops gender equality legislation
  • promotes the mainstreaming of gender equality in state administration
  • handles tasks related to the EU’s gender equality law and policy and to international affairs.

In addition, the Secretary General, Planning Officer and Department Secretary of the Council for Gender Equality have been administratively placed into the unit.

Director Terhi Heinilä