Leave in Estonia

Holiday Leave in Estonia

Employees are entitled to an annual paid holiday of 28 calendar days per year. National and public holidays are not included in the vacation days. The employer has to compile a holiday schedule for each calendar year by 31st of March.

Employees who have worked at least six months during their first working year have the right to vacation in proportion to time.

The holiday can be divided into parts upon mutual agreement. One part of the holiday should be at least 14 consecutive days, and the employer has the right not to divide the holiday into smaller than 7-day parts.

Annual holiday days may transfer to the next year, but they will expire by the end of the following calendar year after the holiday entitlement occurred. Employees are not entitled to any payment instead of accrued but untaken holidays, except in termination cases.

Public holidays

Employees who work during a public holiday may be compensated either by time off or a double remuneration.

Estonia Public Holiday Calendar 2024

DATE WEEK DAY HOLIDAY LOCAL NAME
01/01/2024MondayNew Year's Dayuusaasta
24/02/2024SaturdayIndependence Dayiseseisvuspäev
29/03/2024FridayGood Fridaysuur reede
31/03/2024SundayEaster Sundayülestõusmispühade 1. püha
01/05/2024WednesdaySpring Daykevadpüha
19/05/2024SundayPentecostnelipühade 1. püha
23/06/2024SundayVictory Dayvõidupüha and jaanilaupäev
24/06/2024MondayMidsummer Dayjaanipäev
20/08/2024TuesdayDay of Restoration of Independencetaasiseseisvumispäev
24/12/2024TuesdayChristmas Evejõululaupäev
25/12/2024WednesdayChristmas Dayesimene jõulupüha
26/12/2024ThursdaySt. Stephen's Dayteine jõulupüha

Types of Leave in Estonia

Sick leave

Employees are entitled to up to 240 paid sick leave days per year, paid at a rate of 70% of their salary the previous year.

The leave is paid from the 2nd day until the fifth. After July, the employer will have to pay sick leave compensation from the fourth until the eighth calendar day. From the 9th day onward, the Health Insurance Fund covers it. 

Maternity leave

Mothers get 140 calendar days (20 weeks) of pregnancy and maternity leave, paid by the state (Health Insurance Fund) at a rate of 100%. The benefit is extended only to insured women working prior to the maternity leave.

They may take the leave starting 30-70 days before the date of birth and need a certificate for maternity leave issued by either the obstetrician-gynaecologist or family doctor. 

To avail of the full 140 days, the pregnant employee must start her pregnancy and maternity leave 30 or more days before the expected birth. If, however, she goes on pregnancy and maternity leave less than 30 days before the expected due date, those days are deducted from the 140 calendar days.

Childbirth allowance

The state grants a €320 allowance for single childbirth, which is increased to €1,000 per child in case of triplets or more than three children born.

Paternity leave

Fathers are entitled to 30 calendar days of paternity leave. They must take the leave in one part or several parts within 30 days of the child's expected due date until the child reaches three. The pay is based on the employee's average wage (paid by the Social Security Board). Fathers are entitled to 100% of their regular wages (capped at three times the average gross monthly salary in Estonia based on the Statistics Estonia data).

Adoption leave

A person adopting a child under ten years of age receives 70 calendar days paid leave from the day the adoption ruling enters into force. The adoption benefit is paid by the state (Health Insurance Fund) based on the employee's average salary.

Parental leave

Paid parental leave immediately follows maternity leave, and can be taken until the child reaches three. The father only has the right to parental leave once the child reaches the age of 70 days.

Parents get 435 days off to share, with compensation calculated at the average of their previous earnings over the same period. While the time is shared, only one parent can take at any one time. The leave is paid by the state (Social Security Board).

Childcare leave

In each calendar year, parents have the right to take paid childcare leave (pay is equal to the minimum wage) according to the age of the child:

  • At least one child under three years: 6 working days
  • Up to two children under 14 years: 3 working days
  • 3+ children under 14 years: 6 working days

The year a child turns three or fourteen years of age, childcare leave is granted regardless of whether the child's birth date in question falls before or after the childcare leave.

At the employee's request, the employer must grant additional unpaid childcare leave (up to 10 working days) to a parent raising a child under 14 years of age. The employer must also give additional unpaid childcare leave (up to 10 working days) to a parent raising a disabled child under 18.

For parents with a disabled child, either parent has an additional paid day off from work monthly until the child reaches 18. The compensation is based on the minimum wage.

Study leave

An employee has the right to study leave (up to 30 calendar days per year) prescribed in the Adult Education Act. Twenty calendar days are compensated at the rate of the employee's average salary.

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