About Töötukassa
Eesti Töötukassa was founded in 2001 to administer unemployment insurance benefits. Since May 2019 it also organizes labour market services that help unemployed persons find new employment. Eesti Töötukassa is a quasi-governmental organisation, and a legal person in public law. It performs its activities independently from government, but on the basis of a mission and of operational rules defined by law.
Eesti Töötukassa is directed by a Supervisory Board in which the government is an equal stakeholder together with representatives of employers and of employees.
The institution has but one legal name – Eesti Töötukassa. The official translation of that name is “Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund”.
The key responsibilities of Eesti Töötukassa are:
- Provision of Active Labour Market Measures (ALMPs)
- Payment of unemployment and work ability benefits and compensations
- Work capability assessment.
The strategic goals for the upcoming years are:
- Reducing unemployment and the duration of unemployment and supporting sustainable employment
- Supporting structural changes in the economy
- Increasing labour supply
- Increasing cost-effectiveness
The clients of Eesti Töötukassa are jobseekers, employees and employers as well as young people aged 7-26.
Eesti Töötukassa implements policies that are set at a political level, and places accents that are relevant to an ever-changing labour market. Yearly Work Plans are implemented on the basis of multi-year Strategy Plans.
The legal basis of the activities of Töötukassa are found in two laws: The Unemployment Insurance Act which describes the unemployment insurance system and the organisation of Töötukassa, and the Labour Market Services and Benefits Act, which contains the provisions concerning job mediation and related services.
Eesti Töötukassa has a two-level structure with one head office and 15 regional offices (with a total of ~30 client service points).
