tööraamat

A tööraamat, often translated as "work book" or "employment record book," is a document historically used in Estonia to record an individual's employment history. It served as an official register of a person's work experience, detailing their employers, positions held, dates of employment, and often included information about their qualifications and any disciplinary actions or commendations. The tööraamat was a crucial document for verifying employment and calculating social benefits, such as pensions and unemployment benefits.

The practice of maintaining tööraamatud was widespread during the Soviet era and continued in Estonia after its independence. It provided a centralized and standardized way to track a person's labor contributions and career progression. Employers were legally obligated to keep these records accurately and update them upon termination of employment. Employees were responsible for safeguarding their tööraamat and presenting it when required, for example, when starting a new job or applying for social security.

With the advent of digital technologies and modern human resource management systems, the role and necessity of the physical tööraamat have significantly diminished. Estonia has transitioned to electronic systems for managing employment data and social security records. While the concept of a comprehensive work record remains, the physical tööraamat as a primary document is largely obsolete. Information previously contained within a tööraamat is now typically managed through digital databases and personal identification codes.