tööravilepingu

Tööravilepingu is a contractual concept used in some Baltic and Nordic discussions of employment law to describe an agreement between an employer and an employee that coordinates work-related rehabilitation measures with the aim of restoring the employee’s work ability and facilitating a return to work after illness or injury. The term is not universally codified and its precise meaning varies across jurisdictions and individual contracts.

Etymology and usage: The word combines töö (work) with ravilepingu (treatment contract), reflecting its focus on combining medical or rehabilitative treatment with employment objectives. In practice, tööravilepingu may appear in collective agreements, individual employment contracts, or as part of occupational health and return-to-work programs.

Core elements: A typical tööravilepingu outlines the parties and purpose, a rehabilitation or treatment plan, and the roles and responsibilities of both employer and employee. It often covers timelines and milestones for return to work, arrangements for modified duties or accommodations, provisions on leave or wage support, privacy and handling of medical information, and mechanisms for monitoring progress and adjusting the plan. The agreement is usually complementary to statutory sick leave, workers’ compensation, or disability provisions.

Relationship to other instruments: Tööravilepingu is generally not a substitute for legal entitlements to medical care or social benefits. Rather, it serves as a framework to align health-related measures with workplace needs, aiming to shorten absence duration and improve long-term employment outcomes.

Challenges and considerations: Implementations must safeguard employee autonomy and privacy, avoid coercive practices, and ensure consistency with applicable health and labor laws. Variations in interpretation and enforcement can occur between regions and organizations. See also return-to-work programs, occupational health, and employment contracts.