Tööajaperiood

Tööajaperiood is a term used in Estonian labor law to denote the time interval during which a worker's working time is measured for purposes of applying working-time limits, rest requirements and compensation rules. The exact length and rules of a tööajaperiood are set by law, by collective agreement, or by the individual employment contract, and may vary by sector or job category.

Within a tööajaperiood, employers count the hours worked to determine compliance with maximum daily and weekly working times, required rest breaks, and overtime compensation. In many systems, the total working time may be averaged over a reference period, which allows fluctuations in daily workload to be balanced over several months. The reference period can be defined as a calendar week, a calendar month, or a longer multi-month period depending on national law or agreement.

The concept also influences vacation accrual, leave planning and scheduling. For employees and employers, the length and rules of the tööajaperiood affect when overtime is paid, how vacation time is calculated, and how flexible work arrangements are organized. Changes to the tööajaperiood are usually subject to statutory procedures or collective agreements.

Related concepts include tööaeg (working time) and arvestusperiood (reference period), which describe the broader framework for measuring and regulating hours worked, rest, and remunera­tion.