The need to re-examine the award criteria is related to the Sun Ray association, to which Helsinki Employment Services granted pay subsidies and Helsinki benefits for hiring employees in 2024 and 2025.
It has since come to light that the association has engaged in cooperation with the Artek camp centre, which is on the EU sanctions list. In response, Employment Services are exploring all available measures to recover the pay subsidies and Helsinki benefits granted to Sun Ray ry.
The aforementioned forms of financial support have been paid in accordance with normal processes and conditions. The granting of the pay subsidies has been based on conditions laid down by law, while the granting of the Helsinki benefit has been based on conditions decided by the City of Helsinki.
The City has launched an internal audit to review the award process of the pay subsidies and Helsinki benefits granted since the beginning of 2025.
In addition to this, Employment Services have decided to commission an external body to carry out a study on the allocation of the financial support in question to employers.
Employment Services are suspending the granting of pay subsidies and Helsinki benefits until 30 April 2026 while the investigations are carried out and the award processes are clarified.
From the beginning of May onwards, the granting of the aforementioned forms of financial support to established operators whose operations can be ascertained to be in line with the City of Helsinki’s operating principles will be resumed.
In addition to this, Employment Services will prepare the necessary proposals for changes to the conditions of the Helsinki benefit for the Helsinki City Board’s Economic Development Sub-committee.
Employment Services consider it essential that the required changes to the legislation on pay subsidies and the application process be implemented swiftly.
Pay subsidies
Helsinki Employment Services can grant employers financial support for wage costs to promote the employment of jobseekers.
This financial support is granted in the form of a pay subsidy for the hiring of an unemployed jobseeker living in Helsinki. To qualify, certain conditions relating to the employer, the employee to be hired and the employment relationship must be met.
The Helsinki benefit
The Helsinki benefit is a form of discretionary financial support granted by the City of Helsinki to employers for hiring long-term unemployed Helsinki residents.
The benefit is granted to private and third-sector employers for covering hiring expenses. The benefit can be granted for the employment of a Helsinki resident who has been unemployed for at least three months and whose service needs have been assessed by Helsinki Employment Services.