Employment
Red flags in Estonian employment contracts
Estonia's Töölepinguseadus (TLS) provides strong employee protections. If you are joining an Estonian company as an expat, these are the clauses worth scrutinising.
Probation period
TLS § 88 limits probation to 4 months (or 6 months for certain roles). Contracts exceeding this may be partially unenforceable.
Non-compete clauses
Post-employment non-compete restrictions must meet strict TLS requirements including compensation during the restriction period. A bare non-compete without compensation is often invalid.
Working time and overtime
Ensure working hours, overtime rules, and compensation are specified. TLS § 5 sets minimum standards that cannot be waived to the employee's detriment.