What changes on September 1 regarding the employment of minors?
On the Day of Knowledge, September 1, amendments to the Employment Contracts Act regulating the employment of minors will come into force. As a result of these amendments, the age of compulsory education will be extended from the current 17 years to 18 years. Therefore, the special provisions for employing minors under the Employment Contracts Act will apply to a larger number of young people.
Currently, the law states that compulsory education lasts until basic education is completed or until the age of 17, and a 17-year-old can perform any work that does not endanger their health.
From September 1, 2025, the current system of compulsory education will change. Specifically, employers will need to consider the obligation to participate in education when employing a minor. This obligation includes attending basic, secondary, or vocational education and lasts until the person has completed secondary or vocational education or turns 18. This means that 17-year-olds will still be subject to the education obligation and may only perform work that is simple and does not require significant physical or mental effort — i.e., light work.
The current Employment Contracts Act provides that 13–14-year-olds and older minors subject to compulsory education may work 7 hours per day and 35 hours per week during school holidays. There are no changes to the working time limits for 13–14-year-olds. However, according to the amendments to the Act, the working time limits for minors aged at least 15 and still subject to the education obligation will change during school holidays. Starting from September 1, such youths may work up to 8 hours per day and 40 hours within a seven-day period during school holidays.
Currently, the Employment Contracts Act allows the working time of a minor to be calculated on a cumulative basis, provided it does not exceed the working time limits set by law. Although the current law prohibits overtime work for minors, questions have arisen in practice as to whether minors who have fulfilled their education obligation may exceed the full-time work limits under a cumulative working time arrangement. Therefore, the law will be supplemented with a rule stating that the working time of a minor who has fulfilled their education obligation may not exceed 8 hours per day and 40 hours within a seven-day period, even under a cumulative working time arrangement.
A template for an employment contract with a minor that complies with the changes effective from 01.09.2025 is available in the Chamber’s e-shop. It is free for members of the Chamber and costs 15 euros plus VAT for non-members. The contract template is available HERE.
You can review the amendments to the Employment Contracts Act taking effect on September 1, 2025, HERE.
If you have any further questions on this topic or need legal advice, please contact the Chamber’s lawyers at juristid@koda.ee.