Töötajad

Töötajad are individuals who perform work for an employer under an employment contract in exchange for remuneration. The term is Estonian and is the plural form of töötaja (employee). The word combines töö, meaning work, with the suffix -taja, indicating a doer or a person who performs an action. In everyday use, töötajad can be full-time, part-time, temporary, or fixed-term workers across various sectors, including industry, services, and public administration.

In the Estonian economic and legal context, the relationship between töötajad and their employers is governed by labour law, principally the Employment Contracts Act and related regulations. Rights of employees typically include fair wages, safe and healthy working conditions, adequate rest and annual leave, anti-discrimination protections, and access to social security benefits. Employees are generally expected to perform their duties with due care, follow lawful instructions, cooperate with employers, and comply with workplace policies and confidentiality requirements. Employers are responsible for providing tasks, a suitable working environment, timely payment, and adherence to working-time rules and other statutory protections.

Social and organizational aspects often involve employee representation through trade unions and, in many cases, sector- or company-specific collective agreements that may set terms beyond the baseline legal minimum. Statistics and economic reporting frequently refer to töötajad when describing the size and composition of the workforce.

See also: Töölepingu seadus, tööõigus, labor market.