YTY's legal services will be further improved

Membership in YTY includes comprehensive legal services. From the beginning of this year, this benefit will be even further extended.

Our employment counselling has always been very comprehensive. We guide and advise our members on matters relating to employment relationships and everyday working life. In addition, our attorneys and experts review documents such as employment contracts and management contracts, prepare letters of claims, and conduct settlement negotiations.

Things are not always resolved simply by claiming and settling, and no one can even be forced to settle. Since its establishment, YTY has had legal expenses insurance as a membership benefit, which has been used to cover members' legal costs in employment law proceedings. With the help of legal protection insurance, we have been able to successfully assist several of our members in disputes that have not been settled.

The legal expenses insurance has had a deductible of 15 % for the member’s own and counterparty’s expenses and a maximum indemnity of €17,000. This ceiling has often not been sufficient to cover the opponent’s costs in the event of a loss once one’s own costs have been covered.

Many unions have similar insurances, and in many situations such insurance is adequate and appropriate. However, we at YTY wanted to reduce the costs and risks associated with litigation for members.

WHAT CHANGED ON 1.1.2022?

• Members’ own legal costs are no longer subject to any deductible or maximum amount. Our own lawyers handle litigation in employment disputes completely free of charge for members.
   
• YTY also pays the direct costs of the proceedings and witness fees, without any deductible.
• In the event of loss, YTY will also reimburse the costs of the other party ordered by the court in all instances in excess of the deductible, up to the maximum amount. The deductible is 15 % and the maximum amount is €17 000 per dispute. As €17,000 is fully available for the counterparty’s expenses, the member’s expense risk is significantly reduced.
   
• Disputes arising up to 31.12.2021 will continue to be covered by legal expenses insurance

To qualify for free legal aid, you must have been a member for at least six months before the event giving rise to the dispute. However, members can call our counselling as from the first day of their membership.
In addition to the financial benefits listed above, the advantage of the reform is that the member’s own union lawyer will be there to support and legally assist the member throughout the dispute.

More information: Terms and conditions for handling litigation and other disputes at yty.fi/en/employment-law

Writer:Sirpa Leppäluoto
Head of Legal at YTY

The article has been published on YTY member magazine 01/2022.