töötegija

töötegija is an Estonian term that refers to a person or legal entity that carries out work on behalf of another party. The word literally translates to “work performer” and is commonly used in both everyday language and formal contexts such as contracts and legal documents.

In the context of Estonian labor law, a töötegija may be an employee of a company, a freelance professional, or an independent contractor. The designation distinguishes the party who actually executes the tasks from the employer (tööandja) and the one who commissions the work (töövõtja). While a typical employee is bound by a standard employment contract, a freelance töötegija often signs a service agreement that specifies scope of work, deadlines, and compensation but does not necessarily entail ongoing employment obligations.

The term appears frequently in construction, IT, consulting, and creative industries where project‑based work is common. For example, a graphic designer hired by a marketing agency may be referred to as a töötegija in the project contract, indicating that they perform the design work but are not formally employed by the agency.

Legally, the status of a töötegija determines rights and duties such as tax withholding, social security contributions, and liability for damages. Estonian legislation, particularly the Work Code (Töölepingukord), sets out the criteria for distinguishing employees from independent workers, ensuring that appropriate labor protections and fiscal responsibilities are applied.