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Working During Pregnancy

Viimati uuendatud: 23.02.2017

During pregnancy, the usual work may be continued, if the occupational health and safety requirements are adhered to, set in the Regulation „Occupational Health and Safety Requirements for Work of Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women" by the Government of the Republic.

Works that are forbidden to pregnant women:

Risk to be infected with measles – except when it is certified that, due to immunity, the pregnant woman is sufficiently protected against the measles;

• Hazard to be infected with toxoplasmosis – except when it is certified that, due to immunity, the pregnant woman is sufficiently protected against the toxoplasmosis;
• High atmospheric pressure conditions;
• Contact with lead or its’ compounds;
• Working underground.
• Risk factors, jobs, and manufacturing processes, which must be taken into consideration when evaluating the health risks for a female employee:
• Physical risk factors (shaking, vibration, noise, harmful radiation, permanently high or low air temperature);
• Chemical risk factors (dangerous chemicals);
• Physiologic risk factors (lifting weights manually, exhaustion causing forced positions and movements, including constantly working in a standing or sitting position, fast pace, or other similar factors);
• Psychological risk factors (work that generates mental overload, including work with heightened attention, working alone, monotonous work).

The following measures will be applied to guarantee a work environment that is safe for the health of the pregnant woman:

Relieving working conditions;

Changing the working time organization – shortening the workday, enabling the resting breaks, transfer to day shift;

Changing work tasks, or some other measure.

If the working conditions do not comply with the requirements, the doctor or midwife shall issue a certificate to the employer, listing work limitations due to health conditions and, if possible, suggestions regarding the suitable work tasks and conditions.

If the employee does not have an easier work for the employee, they issue a decree or order to temporarily transfer the employee to some other position.

When the employee is transferred to an easier work, the Estonian Health Insurance Fund pays a sickness benefit per one calendar day in the extent by which the person’s salary at the new position is lower than the average daily salary earned on the previous year (the remuneration is calculated according to the Tax and Customs Board data).

If the employer cannot offer an easier work, the employee can temporarily refuse from fulfilling work tasks. If the person has been exempt from work because there is no easier work to give, the Health Insurance Fund pays a sickness benefit to the employee starting from the second day of the leave (70% of the daily income based on the employee’s social tax data paid on the previous year).

After each 30 calendar days, the doctor or midwife issues a new certificate of incapacity for work to the employee with the reason “employee is given a job corresponding to their state of health, or the employee is transferred to an easier position”. The pregnant woman is entitled to get this leave until the start of the pregnancy and maternity leave.

Sources:

https://www.riigiteataja.ee/akt/72741: „Occupational Health and Safety Requirements for Work of Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women"

www.haigekassa.ee

Compiled by: Ave Aug, midwife at the Women’s Clinic, Tartu University Hospital

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