Flexible working hours mean that the employer and employee can agree on a workload, for example, in the range of 0.25 to 0.75 or 0.5 to one (full-time).

An employee will be guaranteed a minimum number of working hours and income for those hours, while also having the option to work additional hours.

Madis Timpson (Reform) told Riigikogu members the working environment has changed, and the state and legislation must evolve to support economic development and the modernization of working life.

"Updating the Employment Contracts Act is not a random political initiative but the result of years of work," said Timpson, noting the changes had been in preparation for four years.

Timpson said this helps better balance work and private life, increases labor market participation among, for instance, students, and reduces the need for undeclared work or unsafe service contracts.

"A flexible employment contract is not mandatory or obligatory, but always a mutual agreement. The employee and employer set the conditions together. If a person wants to work a regular full-time job, they can continue to do so," Timpson said.

Even under a flexible working hours agreement, current requirements for working and rest time must still be followed, meaning that total working hours and additional hours may not exceed full-time hours.

For those who continue to work under standard full-time or part-time contracts, nothing changes.

Weekly rest period

The amendment also restores the long-standing previous practice of weekly rest periods, under which the weekly consecutive rest period includes the daily rest period.

This means that in the case of a standard Monday-to-Friday work schedule, the employee must be guaranteed 48 consecutive hours of rest, and in the case of a summarized working time calculation, i.e., shift work, 36 hours of rest.

With the amendments to the Employment Contracts Act, the recent change — which was prompted by raising the mandatory school attendance age and sparked significant public debate — was also reversed. That change had automatically imposed working time restrictions on 15–17-year-olds who had completed basic school.

In the future, minors (under 18s) who have completed basic school may work up to full-time hours alongside school, if they wish and with parental consent.

Employers: Best news in 10 years

Ain Käpp, a member of the Estonian Employers' Confederation council and head of its labor market working group, called the introduction of flexible working hours the best news in modernizing labor law in the last ten years.

"Some parties have irresponsibly and unjustifiably tried to scare workers about this amendment, but more and more employees are asking their employers for flexibility, and employers want to accommodate them when possible, because people with the right skills are the most valuable asset," he said.

Käpp noted that until now, employers have often used contracts under the Law of Obligations for additional work or relied on undeclared labor, without protections.

A flexible employment contract, however, provides the same rights as a regular employment contract, including vacation, health insurance, and a minimum wage.

Additional risks

Vladimir Arhipov (Center) said in the Riigikogu that the amendment does not increase workers' independence or opportunities but gives the employer the ability to decide when and how much work to offer, placing the risks on the employee.

"The employee is essentially on standby, not by choice, but by necessity," he said, adding that the amendment has also been criticized by several trade unions, which believe it reduces security and increases uncertainty.

Arhipov noted that workers' organizations had not been heard, the discussions were superficial, and substantive criticism was dismissed.

The Riigikogu passed the bill with 44 votes in favor, 19 against, and no abstentions.

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