Holidays

• • 1st January – New Year’s Day
  • 24th February – Independence Day
  • 2nd April – Good Friday
  • 4th April – Easter Sunday
  • 1st May – Spring Day
  • 23rd May – Pentecost Sunday
  • 23rd June – Victory Day
  • 24th June – St. John’s Day
  • 20th August – Independence Restoration Day
  • 16th October – Ethnicity Day (Third Saturday in October)
  • 24th December – Christmas Eve
  • 25th December – Christmas Day

PTO

• Vacation/Annual Paid Leave

In the calendar year of commencement of employment, the annual holiday is calculated for a period shorter than a calendar year in proportion to the time worked. An employee may demand a holiday once he or she has worked for the employer for at least six months.

It is presumed that an employee’s annual holiday is 28 calendar days unless the employee and the employer have agreed upon a longer annual holiday or unless otherwise provided by law.

Annual holiday of minor

It is presumed that the annual holiday of an employee who is a minor is 35 calendar days (minor’s annual holiday) unless the employee and the employer have agreed upon a longer annual holiday or unless otherwise provided by law.

Annual holiday of an employee with partial or no workability

It is presumed that the annual holiday of an employee who has been established to have partial or no work ability under the Work Ability Allowance Act is 35 calendar days unless the employee and the employer have agreed upon a longer annual holiday or unless otherwise provided by law.

• Use-it-or-lose-it policy 

Annual holidays shall be used within the calendar year. The annual holiday is granted in parts only by agreement of the parties. At least 14 calendar days of holiday shall be used by an employee successively. The employer has the right to refuse to divide the annual holidays into parts shorter than seven days. An unused part of the holiday shall be transferred to the next calendar year. The claim for an annual holiday expires within one year as of the end of the calendar year for which the holiday is calculated.

• PTO payout at the termination

Upon expiry of the employment contract, the employer shall be obligated to compensate the employee in money for an unused annual holiday that has not expired.

Maternity Leave, Paternity Leave and Adoption Leave

Maternity Leave

A woman has the right to pregnancy and maternity leave of 140 calendar days.

The leave becomes collectible at least 70 calendar days before the estimated date of birth determined by a doctor or midwife.

If a woman starts using pregnancy and maternity leave less than 30 days before the estimated date of birth determined by a doctor or midwife, the pregnancy and maternity leave is shortened by the respective period.

There is a right to obtain compensation for pregnancy and maternity leave in accordance with the Health Insurance Act.

Paternity Leave 

A father has the right to paternity leave to the extent of 30 calendar days in one part or in parts during the period of time from 30 days before the estimated date of birth determined by a doctor or midwife until the child attains three years of age. The employer has the right to refuse to grant paternity leave in a part shorter than seven calendar days.

If a child is stillborn, the father of the child has the right to paternity leave consecutively as of the day the child was born to the extent of unused days.

Adoption Leave 

An adoptive parent of a child under 10 years of age has the right to adoptive parent leave of 70 calendar days as of the date of entry into force of the court judgment approving the adoption. There is a right to obtain compensation for such a period in accordance with the Health Insurance Act.

Sick Leave, Child Care Leave and Child Leave

Sick Leave

EHIF will pay the incapacity for work benefit within 30 days of the date when the employer submitted the information. Normally, the Health Insurance Fund transfers the benefit money to the employee’s current account within a few working days after the employer has submitted the data.

Child Care Leave

A mother or father has the right to child care leave until his or her child reaches the age of three years. Child care leave may be used by one person at a time.

Child care leave may be used in one part or in several parts every year. It is presumed that an employee notifies the employer of taking child care leave or interrupting child care leave 14 calendar days in advance unless the parties have agreed otherwise.

If a parent has been deprived of parental rights or if his or her child lives in a social welfare institution, the parent does not have the right to child care leave.

Child Leave

Each calendar year a mother or father has the right to receive child leave which shall be remunerated based on the minimum wage established by the Government of the Republic:

• for three working days if she or he has one or two children under 14 years of age
• for six working days if she or he has at least three children under 14 years of age or at least one child under three years of age.

Jury Duty Leave and Voting Leave (Leave due to Public Interest)

Not specified by law.

Bereavement Leave

Not specified by law.

Military Leave

Not specified by law.

Please consult your local legal counsel to learn more about Estonia Leave Laws.

To learn more about laws in various countries, check out our Leave Laws page.