2022 Score

85

Stagnant

2020 Score

85

Rating

Approaching
Decent Work

Fair
Wages

80

Decent
Working Hours

100

Employment
Security

40

Family
Responsibilities

75

Maternity
at Work

80

Safe
Work

100

Social
Security

100

Fair
Treatment

100

Child &
Forced Labour

100

Trade
Union

75

Fair Wages

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prescribe minimum wage rates in the country?Yes1§29(5-6) of Employment Contracts Act, 2008; Regulation 166 on Introduction of Minimum Wage
Does the law require regular payment of wages?Yes1§28(2), 29 & 33 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require overtime compensation be at least 125% of the regular hourly rate?Yes1§44 of the Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require additional compensation for working on a weekly rest day?No0§45 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require additional compensation for night work?Yes1§45 & 50 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008

Decent Working Hours

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law stipulate general working hours as 48 hours or lower?Yes1§43-48 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law restrict maximum working hours including overtime to 56 hours per week?Yes1§46 of the Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require a weekly rest of at least 24 hours?Yes1§47, 51, and 52 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require paid public holidays?Yes1§1-3 of Public Holidays and Days of National Importance Act; §45 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require at least three working weeks of paid annual leave?Yes1§55-58 & 68-71 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008

Employment Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require written employment contracts or at least written employment particulars?Yes1§5 & 6 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law restrict the hiring of fixed-term contract workers?No0§9 & 10 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law limit the length of probation period including renewals to a maximum of 3 months?No0§6 & 86 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require a 30-day notice before contract termination?Yes1§79-100 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008
Does the law require severance pay at the rate of at least 2 weeks of wages for every year of service?No0§100 &139 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008; §14 of Unemployment Insurance Act, 2001

Family Responsibilities

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require parental leave for parents?Yes1§62 of Employment Contracts Act, 2008; §1-4 of Parental Benefits Act, 2008
Does the law require at least one week of paid paternity leave for fathers?Yes1§60 of Employment Contracts Act 2008
Does the law require flexible work arrangements for workers with family responsibilities?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located
Does the law require paid nursing breaks?Yes1§10 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1999

Maternity at Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibits inquiring about pregnancy during recruitment?No0No applicable legal provisions could be located
Does the law require paid maternity leave of at least 14 weeks?Yes1§59 of Employment Contracts Act 2008
Does the law require cash maternity benefit be at least 67% of a worker's former wage?Yes1§59 & 61 of Employment Contracts Act 2008; §50, 54 & 58 of Health Insurance Act, 2002
Does the law require maternity benefit be paid through contributory social insurance or universal benefits system?Yes1§59 & 61 of Employment Contracts Act 2008; §50, 54 & 58 of Health Insurance Act, 2002
Does the law protect workers from dismissals during or on account of pregnancy?Yes1§92 & 93 of Employment Contracts Act 2008

Safe Work

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require provision of free personal protective equipment to workers from employer?Yes1§3, 13 & 14 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1999
Does the law require the employer to train workers on health and safety issues?Yes1§4,13 & 14 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1999
Does the law restrict work that is prejudicial to the health of the mother or the child?Yes1§18 of Employment Contracts Act 2008; §10 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1999
Does the law provide for employment injury benefit?Yes1§50-57 of the Health Insurance Act 2002; §14-19 of State Pension Insurance Act, 2001

Social Security

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law provide for an old age pension?Yes1§7-13 of State Pension Insurance Act, 2001
Does the law provide for a dependants'/survivors' pension?Yes1§20 & 21 of State Pension Insurance Act, 2001
Does the law provide for unemployment benefit?Yes1§6-14 of Unemployment Insurance Act, 2001; §26-33 of Labour Market Services and Benefits Act, 2005
Does the law require paid sick leave for the first 6 months of sickness?Yes1§50-57 of the Health Insurance Act, 2002
Does the law provide for invalidity benefit?Yes1§14-19 of State Pension Insurance Act, 2001

Fair Treatment

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law require equal remuneration for work of equal value?Yes1§6.2 of the Gender Equality Act, 2004; §2.2 of the Equal Treatment Act, 2008
Does the law prohibit sexual harassment in employment?Yes1§3.1.5 & 3.1.6 of the Gender Equality Act, 2004; §3.3 of the Equal Treatment Act, 2008; §153(1) of Penal Code, 2001
Does the law prohibit discrimination in employment matters?Yes1§12 of the Constitution of Estonia 1992; §1.1 of the Gender Equality Act 2004; §1.1, 2.3 & 3 of the Equal Treatment Act 2008
Does the law allow women to do the same jobs as men?Yes1§29 of the Constitution of Estonia 1992; §6.2 of the Gender Equality Act 2004; §49 of the Penal Code 2001
Does the law guarantee basic labour protections for gig economy workers?Yes1State Pension Insurance Act, 2001; MISSOC Comp. Table for Estonia

Child & Forced Labour

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law prohibit employment of children?Yes1§7, 8, 43 & 119 of Employment Contracts Act 2008; §10 & 13(5) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1999
Does the law set employment entry age equal to or higher than the compulsory schooling age?Yes1§10 & 13(5), Occupational Health and Safety Act 1999; §2 & 9, Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act, 2010
Does the law prohibit the employment of children in hazardous work under the age of 18 years?Yes1§44 & 49 of Employment Contracts Act 2008; §175 of the Penal Code 2001
Does the law prohibit forced labour?Yes1§29 of the Constitution of Estonia 1992; §133 & 175 of Penal Code 2001

Trade Union

QuestionAnswerScoreLegal Basis
Does the law allow workers to form and join unions of their own choice?Yes1§29 & 48 of Constitution of Estonia 1992; Trade Union Act, 2000
Does the law allow workers to bargain collectively with employers through their representative unions?Yes1§29 & 48 Constitution of Estonia 1992; Collective Agreements Act, 1993
Does the law provide for the right to strike?No0Constitution of Estonia 1992; §21 of the Collective Labour Dispute Resolution Act 1993
Does the law prohibit employers from terminating employment contracts of striking workers?Yes1Collective Labour Dispute Resolution Act 1993; USDOS CRHRP 2021