Employment Office / TE Toimisto Treatment of Foreigners

[African Girl]

Hi all,

I wonder if anybody else has had similar treatment by the TE toimisto (employment office). I am currently unemployed... looking for a full-time job however I do work part-time at the moment as a substitute teacher. I have previously worked in Finland, for the last 4 years to be exact. I am married to a Finn and now have a Finnish surname.

The treatment by the TE office has been shocking. I am talking specifically about phone calls. I have often tried to call them, which takes ages of waiting listening to some awful metal music blasting my ear-drum by the way. My experiences have included (on multiple occasions) them hanging up on me the moment I say hello in English or anything else. This leads to me having the privilege of calling again, waiting another 30 minutes and so on. Also, they do not have direct phone numbers for their offices. You must always go through their central Uusimaa line and they then direct you, for example, to the Helsinki or Espoo office. So twice the wait.

Today I had an even worse experience. I finally got through to a very grumpy lady on the other end. I explained that I needed to discuss my employment status, she immediately shouted at me that I must call the number for "English people". I quickly took down the number, called, only to find that I had been given the number of the general information for Finland, NOTHING to do with the TE office at all. I was quite shocked. It feels like they are just playing games with me because I am a foreigner. Of course I then had to do the calling all over again!!

Another time, I went for my appointment at the TE office, only to find that the man who was supposed to see me, was on holiday! I wasn't even informed about this.

What on earth is going on? Surely service like this, probably especially aimed at foreigners, is unacceptable? And yes, I even have a Finnish surname now. I never believed that Finns had anything against foreigners (I am married to a Finn, after all), but after this I am not so sure anymore!! I have always been kind and polite, but being hung up on the phone and directed to random numbers is NOT OK!!

Anybody else have TE horror stories like this? I don't even believe complaining would help at all, though.

[onkko]

TE does that to all, finns and foreigners alike.

[Upphew]

Hi all,

I wonder if anybody else has had similar treatment by the TE toimisto (employment office). I am currently unemployed... looking for a full-time job however I do work part-time at the moment as a substitute teacher. I have previously worked in Finland, for the last 4 years to be exact. I am married to a Finn and now have a Finnish surname.

The treatment by the TE office has been shocking. I am talking specifically about phone calls. I have often tried to call them, which takes ages of waiting listening to some awful metal music blasting my ear-drum by the way. My experiences have included (on multiple occasions) them hanging up on me the moment I say hello in English or anything else. This leads to me having the privilege of calling again, waiting another 30 minutes and so on. Also, they do not have direct phone numbers for their offices. You must always go through their central Uusimaa line and they then direct you, for example, to the Helsinki or Espoo office. So twice the wait.

Today I had an even worse experience. I finally got through to a very grumpy lady on the other end. I explained that I needed to discuss my employment status, she immediately shouted at me that I must call the number for "English people". I quickly took down the number, called, only to find that I had been given the number of the general information for Finland, NOTHING to do with the TE office at all. I was quite shocked. It feels like they are just playing games with me because I am a foreigner. Of course I then had to do the calling all over again!!

Another time, I went for my appointment at the TE office, only to find that the man who was supposed to see me, was on holiday! I wasn't even informed about this.

What on earth is going on? Surely service like this, probably especially aimed at foreigners, is unacceptable? And yes, I even have a Finnish surname now. I never believed that Finns had anything against foreigners (I am married to a Finn, after all), but after this I am not so sure anymore!! I have always been kind and polite, but being hung up on the phone and directed to random numbers is NOT OK!!

Anybody else have TE horror stories like this? I don't even believe complaining would help at all, though.

I'd agree with onkko. You are not mamu anymore, you are Finn (as name suggests), so you get the regular treatment instead of hand holding. See: http://yle.fi/uutiset/tyoton_kerro_koke ... sa/7210748

[African Girl]

Why then, do they do this in the first place? I understand that customer service is not their strong point. But what's the point of hanging up on phone calls or giving out random numbers to call that have nothing to do with their office?! I really don't get it. And I'm assuming that if I complain I will be seen as a "difficult" person who they will then treat even worse. No way to win in this situation...

[African Girl]

I'd agree with onkko. You are not mamu anymore, you are Finn (as name suggests), so you get the regular treatment instead of hand holding

Actually, Upphew, I have been treated this way before I married my husband and now after, so it doesn't seem to make a difference at all! Mamu or not, I have been treated carelessly.

Roger_roger, I know how you feel. No, I don't speak good Finnish yet, I feel much more confident using English. I couldn't get a place on those intensive Finnish Integration courses because I had already been in Finland (and working) for 3 years before I registered as unemployed. What a "crime".

Honestly, it seems strange that they make life very difficult for certain people. however I know some Finns who are unemployed/retired etc. etc. for all their life and are loving it. The TE office has not made their life hell.

[Upphew]

I suggest you to contact Ely-keskus they usually look at the case of Foreigners and may fast-forward your appointments with TE. In my case I didn't need to meet people from TE, the meeting with the lady from ely-keskus was enough and she even helped me to put up my CV properly (translated properly) in TE CV Service, etc.

They are getting laid off too, so better act quick, soon they won't have time to do other office's work.

The only suggestion I can give you as who have experience unemployment before and dealing with things is BE @#$% STRONG. Its not just about the treatment from TE, but the overall thing, finding new employment takes a lot energy and lots of negative thoughts goes through your head due to unemployment, depression justs looms around, so, you need to be strong and divert your time to learn something new too.... just keep the depression away, starting from TE. You'll get what rightfully is yours, it may just take bit long time but you'll get it anyhow. If you are experiencing financial situation then there is some municipality service which helps with that, I don't remember the exact term now but there is something like that whom you can contact too...

Word.

[African Girl]

Thanks for your sympathy everyone. The only thing that I just cannot understand is why the TE office staff seem to be so damn mad with every unemployed person. As tummansininen said, we are the reason they have a job! This is perhaps not the best example but I know many people do not enjoy working at McDonald's or Hesburger, for example. However, I have received better "customer service" there than from the TE office! It is just ridiculous.

[itsme]

I know many people do not enjoy working at McDonald's or Hesburger, for example. However, I have received better "customer service" there than from the TE office! It is just ridiculous.

You are comparing a private Company to a public employer so...

McD & Hesburger are privately owned companies who need satisfied paying customers in order to generate profit and return on the money invested by shareholders.

TE office is a public employer who do not have paying customers. TE office's "customers" don't bring in any cash flow so the "customers" don't need to be satisfied in order to bring any benefit to TE office. An unsatisfied "customer" will likely return to TE office because it's the "customer" who's dependent on TE office, and not the other way around (as is the case in the private market). The "shareholders" (taxpayers) of TE office are not dependent on the "customer". So in fact, consequently if the unsatisfied customer would choose not to return to TE office due to poor customer experience, that would only be in the benefit of TE office's "shareholders".

So there is really no market driven pressure from TE office's side to demand proper service standards from its emplyees.

[itsme]

I think in the TE office's case it's more a culture of arrogance.

I agree 100%. Such culture of arrogance can flourish only in publicly funded work place. That's exactly why commies ain't cool.

A privately owned business which has to compete for customers' money would seize to exist with culture of arrogance.

[hychamaz]

Hello,
I sent you a PM so I hope that we can talk.... It is quite funny that they told me to read YLEs basis Finnish news to improve my language after a year in school... Every other article is about 200 Finns losing jobs here , 700 here, 1000 here, 200 here, 850 here lol. Wow, they have sure boosted a Doctor of Pharmacys views here... I fully respect this country... For 7 years they have let me be unemplloyed and raising my children after my Finnishwife went coo coo many years ago... Been through hell and back with every agency, eventually winning. Happy kids . YES. Happy Daddy. No!!! The ex sees them 3 hours a month. They are 5 and 6. I have to stay here until they are 18.... I appreciate your system as they say I have to stay because too many Russians have fled with their kids.. Crazy world...

[Kifkfo]

You are getting much better service than Finns trying to deal with Employment Office using Luba-Lulua.

What would the service be like in England using Finnish? Probably you would be told to learn English or get out.

The problem with Finns and other Nordic countries is that they are too nice to the detriment of their own well-being.

[African Girl]

The problem with Finns and other Nordic countries is that they are too nice

Wow. So does this mean that hanging up the phone multiple times, purposefully directing you to the wrong (random) line, and not showing up for a meeting with you is..... "too nice"?

I beg to differ, Kifko. English is widely considered to be the lingua franca around the world. Most, if not all, Finns learn at least some English starting at primary school. I hardly believe that this is comparable to using Finnish in England for example. Finnish is not a "world language" and British people do not learn Finnish at school. I think there is a very big difference. Frankly, most Finns know English nowadays and I do not believe it is reasonable for them to hang up the phone when someone says "hello".

Am I wrong?

[rinso]

English is widely considered to be the lingua franca around the world.

Finns are entitled not to speak English in their own country and many indeed prefer not to.
Foreigners with the attitude "everybody speaks English" are disrespecting the Finns and their language.
Trying to speak Finnish or at least asking (in Finnish) if the want to speak English to you, will in most cases get helpful responses.
Assuming that since they can speak English they will, will leave you at a brick wall.

[Upphew]

I beg to differ, Kifko. English is widely considered to be the lingua franca around the world. Most, if not all, Finns learn at least some English starting at primary school. I hardly believe that this is comparable to using Finnish in England for example. Finnish is not a "world language" and British people do not learn Finnish at school. I think there is a very big difference. Frankly, most Finns know English nowadays and I do not believe it is reasonable for them to hang up the phone when someone says "hello".

Am I wrong?

Finnish constitution says you can use your language when dealing with officials. Your language is either Finnish or Swedish.

To quote my dad when dealing with some Russian: "We are in Finland, I don't have language problem, you do." And he was selling, not doling out money.

And while I agree that most Finns know English nowadays and that it is not reasonable to hang up when hearing "hello", I think that most of TE, ELY etc employees don't need to give service in English. Why? Because it costs.

[onkko]

English is widely considered to be the lingua franca around the world. Most, if not all, Finns learn at least some English starting at primary school

With that attitude you would get your ass kicked in 10secs here.
YOU want to communicate with us.
YOU want something.
WE in here speak finnish, its your problem with to make yourself understandable.

In case of trade we do speak anything, i personally have used "sign language" and written numbers with russian but that doesnt mean i would or will speak english if someone is asking handouts.