Finnish MPs on Friday approved a law that aims to lower the threshold to dismiss employees.
The votes fell 108-54, with 21 abstentions and 16 representatives absent.
After the law goes into effect, a "proper reason" will suffice for terminating an employment contract, compared to current law requiring both "proper and weighty" grounds.
Earlier this month, Parliament's Employment and Equality Committee greenlit the government's plans to lower the threshold for employers to fire workers.
At the time, the committee's chair, MP Arto Satonen (NCP), said the reform was especially aimed at improving the operating conditions of small and medium-sized companies — as they will be more willing to hire staff if the threshold for dismissal is lowered.
Opposition parties often referred to the government-proposed legislation as a "firing law".
Opposition MP Pia Hiltunen (SDP) strayed from her party's position in Friday's vote, siding with the government in favour of the legislation. According to news agency STT's information, the Social Democrats plan to reprimand the MP for doing so.
