Quick Question

[carolinemaher]

can someone tell me what is the difference between keikkatyö and pätkätyö? thanks

[EP]

Keikkatyö is shorter. For example a nurse is hired by a hospital to do a weekend, or a waiter by a restaurant to do an evening. Pätkätyö may be a month, four months, half a year, a year... And everything without benefits (like vacations) the regular worker gets.

[carolinemaher]

Thanks very much for clearing that up for me
Cheers, Caroline

[Rip]

I'd say "keikkatyö" refers to an individual short term work (like the 'keikka' (gig) in music industry) while pätkätyö is means a succession of temporary employments, often even with the same employer.

The former has a more positive sound to it than the latter, and is assumed to be more likely done in voluntary basis.

[CH]

And everything without benefits (like vacations) the regular worker gets.

There are some restrictions on the benefits, like if you haven't worked enough hours per week then some benefits don't apply. But in general, an employer cannot deny you benefits even if you work short term.

But yes, otherwise I agree. Keikkatyö is what somebody working as an "extra" would do. Jump in when somebody is ill or some extra help is needed. Pätkätyö is the bane of modern times. You get lots of half a year here, a year there, but not a permanent employment. Many employers also abuse this, and just give short fixed term contracts, one after another, even though it is illegal (there needs to be a reason, like a one off project, for a fixed term contract, and if a position is continuously filled with short term contracts then obviously there is not a reason for it). Many municipalities, for instance, got their fingers slapped for doing this.