COUNTRY

Employment contracts in Estonia should be written and must include details of the employee’s salary, benefits and termination clauses. The contract must also include both parties’ names and registry codes, responsibilities, workplace location, work hours, annual leave, notice period and workplace policies.

The standard workweek in Estonia is 40 hours over five days with eight-hour days. The workweek is capped at 48 hours over a four-month period including overtime. Employees receive 11 hours of rest over a 24-hour period or 48 hours over seven days.

Employees are allowed 182 calendar days of paid sick leave in Estonia. Employers pay for sick leave from the fourth to the eighth day of leave with government benefits available on the ninth day. Sick leave pay is 70% of the employee’s average salary.

Female employees receive 100 days of paid maternity leave in Estonia and can start taking leave from as early as 70 days before the due date. Employees receive maternity leave pay, called the maternity benefit, from the government Health Insurance Fund. Male employees receive 30 days of paternity leave, which may be taken any time from 30 days before the birth until the child is three years old.

Estonia has a minimum wage. Performance-based bonuses are common.

Employees receive 28 days of paid vacation leave in Estonia unless the employer and employee agreed on more leave time. In an employee’s first year, the leave available is in proportion to the portion of the year that the employee has worked. Employees are entitled to take leave after six months.

In Estonia, the public holidays are:

• New Year's Day

• Independence Day

• Good Friday

• Easter Sunday

• Spring Day

• Pentecost

• Victory Day

• Midsummer Day

• Independence Restoration Day

• Christmas Eve

• Christmas Day

• Boxing Day

Estonia has universal healthcare.

An employer must have a reason to terminate an employment contract in Estonia. The notice period depends on the employee’s length of service. The notice period is 15 days for employees with up to one year of service, 30 days for employees with up to five years of service, 60 days for employees with up to 10 years of service and 90 days for employees with more than 10 years of service. An employee terminates their employment contract by giving 30 days written notice, but can quit with no notice under limited exceptions.