1. General provisions
2. Definitions
3. Entry into an employment contract
4. Substituting for an area director, dean or head of a structural unit
5. Temporary incapacity for work
6. Working and rest time
7. Organisation of working time
8. Calculation of working time
9. Break during the working day (lunch break)
10. Weekly rest time (days off)
11. Leave
12. Remuneration
13. Duty to maintain confidentiality
14. Restraint of trade clause
15. Employee’s liability
16. Use of property
17. Changes to or termination of duties or employment
18. Supervision
19. Implementation
Annex 1 Procedure for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest and Preventing Corruption
Annex 2 Procedure for Conducting Annual Interviews
Annex 3 Estimated Workload and Classroom Contact Hours of Academic Staff
Annex 4 Procedure for Submitting and Investigating Whistleblower Reports
Annex 5 Procedure for Reimbursing Health Promotion Expenses
Annex 6 Organisation of Remote Work
Annex 7 Principles of Processing an Employees’ Personal Data
Annex 8 Employees’ information security obligations
1. General provisions
1.1 The Work Procedure Rules (hereinafter referred to as “the Rules”) set out the rules of conduct governing employment relations between Tallinn University of Technology (hereinafter referred to as “the university”), as the employer, and its employees.
1.2 Employment relationships are governed by the Rules, the Collective Agreement, the Statutes and other applicable legislation. Occupational health and safety requirements shall be set out in separate regulations. In addition, employment relationships are governed by generally accepted rules of conduct, the university’s values, established procedures and good practice.
1.3 The Human Resources Office coordinates employment relationships at the university.
1.4 The Human Resources Office shall ensure that employees are familiarised with the Rules before they commence work.
1.5 The Rules and annexes thereto shall be made available to employees. Employees shall be notified of any significant amendments to the Rules or annexes thereto through an official communication channel. Employees shall not be required to separately confirm that they have read the amendments unless otherwise required by legislation, an agreement or a decision of the employer.
1.6 The following is annexed to the Rules:
1.6.1 Procedure for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest and Preventing Corruption;
1.6.2 Procedure for Conducting Annual Interviews;
1.6.3 Estimated Workload and Classroom Contact Hours of Academic Staff;
1.6.4 Procedure for Submitting and Investigating Whistleblower Reports;
1.6.5 Procedure for Reimbursing Health Promotion Expenses;
1.6.6 Organisation of Remote Work;
1.6.7 Principles of Processing Employees’ Personal Data;
1.6.8 Employees’ Information Security Obligations.
2. Definitions
2.1 For the purposes of the Rules, the terms set out below have the following meanings:
2.1.1 “employer’s representative” means the Rector or a university employee authorised by the Rector who has the right to issue personnel orders;
2.1.2 “area director” means a Vice-Rector or the Director for Administration who oversees and is responsible for the area of activity designated by the Rector and for the condition and development of the structural units subordinate to him/her;
2.1.3 “head of a structural unit” means the head of an academic unit or an administrative and support unit;
2.1.4 “immediate superior” means a person appointed by the employer, who assigns tasks directly to an employee and checks performance of the tasks and organises and checks the employee’s use of working time.
2.1.5 “employer’s competitors” means self-employed persons and legal persons (including legal persons in public law) whose activities partially or fully coincide with the university’s activities set out in the Statutes, i.e. those who teach or carry out research or development activities in the fields of technology, production, construction, natural or exact sciences, social sciences, business, law, service or education.
2.1.6 “employer’s confidential information, including production secrets and business secrets” (hereinafter referred to as “confidential information”) means information that is not publicly available and in respect of which the university has a legitimate interest in maintaining confidentiality. Confidential information includes, in particular, information concerning intellectual property created at the university as a result of research and development, the university’s accounting information not disclosed in the annual report, information concerning the university’s partners, personal data, information concerning the employer’s IT and security systems, including access codes, as well as other information that an employee has been informed is confidential, that the employee may reasonably be expected to recognise as confidential or whose disclosure may harm the employer’s interests;
2.1.7 “continuous length of employment” means the length of uninterrupted employment at the university. Termination of an employment contract and entry into a new contract between the same parties within two months, as well as suspension of an employment contract in the cases prescribed by law, do not interrupt the employee’s continuous length of employment at the university.
3. Entry into an employment contract
3.1 The employer’s representative enters into, amends, and terminates employment contracts on behalf of the university.
3.2 Academic staff positions shall be filled in accordance with the Regulation on Academic Career Management.
3.3 As a rule, non-academic staff positions shall be filled by way of a public competition.
3.4 For the purpose of entering into an employment contract, the employee shall submit the documents requested by the employer’s representative.
3.5 An employee’s responsibilities and performance indicators shall be agreed in the employee’s job description, which is annexed to the employment contract.
4. Substituting for an area director, dean or head of a structural unit
4.1 If an area director, dean or head of a structural unit is unable to make management decisions or sign documents during his/her absence from work, a substitute may be appointed with all the rights and obligations arising from the employment relationship of the person being substituted, including the right to enter into transactions and carry out operations where such rights and obligations arise from the position. The rights and obligations of the appointed substitute may be specified, if necessary.
4.2 Decisions to appoint a substitute for an area director, dean or head of an administrative and support unit shall be made by the Rector or the employer’s representative and recorded in a personnel order. Decisions to appoint a substitute for a head of a department shall be made by the dean and recorded in a dean’s order. Decisions to appoint substitutes for directors of regional colleges not affiliated with a School shall be made by the area director responsible for academic affairs.
5. Temporary incapacity for work
5.1 An employee shall notify his/her immediate superior of his/her temporary incapacity for work and, if possible, its expected duration on the first day of illness or as soon as possible thereafter, using the notification form on the university’s intranet or by other means.
5.2 In addition to the sickness benefit required by law, the employer shall pay sickness benefit for the second and third days of sickness at a rate of 70% of the employee’s average wages.
6. Working and rest time
6.1 As a rule, an employee’s working time is 40 hours a week and 8 hours a day (full-time work).
6.2 Under the standard working time arrangement, an employee has a five-day working week with two days off:
6.2.1 the working day of full-time employees starts at 8.30 and ends at 17.00;
6.2.2 during the summer period, from the working day following Victory Day on 23 June until the Day of Restoration of Independence on 20 August, the working day starts at 8.00 and ends at 16.00 from Monday to Thursday and at 14.00 on Friday.
6.3 With the approval of the head of the structural unit or a subdivision thereof, an employee shall be entitled to time off with continued payment of average wages:
6.3.1 for up to three working days per calendar year in the event of the employee’s illness (health days);
6.3.2 for up to three working days on the occasion of the employee’s marriage or the marriage of the employee’s child;
6.3.3 for up to three working days in the event of the death of a member of the employee’s family.
6.4 The period from 24 December to 31 December shall be treated as time off with continued payment of wages.
6.5 A working day immediately preceding a national holiday ends at 12.00. Where possible, the head of a structural unit may arrange for employees to work the hours of the shortened working day at another time, taking into account the unit’s working arrangements and the nature of the work.
6.6 The university shall continue to pay remuneration to an employee who participates in reservist training in accordance with subsection 75 (1) of the Military Service Act unless the head of the structural unit decides otherwise. The employee shall inform the head of the structural unit of his/her participation in reservist training, its duration and the amount of the allowance received from the state.
7. Organisation of working time
7.1 Depending on the needs of the structural unit or the nature of the work associated with the position, the start and end times of the working day may, at the proposal of the head of the structural unit, be set to differ from the university’s standard working time arrangements. In such cases, the working hours shall be specified in an order issued by the head of the structural unit or in an individual work schedule approved by the employee’s immediate superior.
7.2 An employee may be temporarily absent from work during the working day for a valid reason with the permission of his/her immediate superior or the head of the structural unit. The period of such absence shall count as working time.
7.3 Working time arrangements for remote working are set out in Annex 6 to the Rules.
7.4 Business trips are governed by the relevant regulations issued by the Rector.
7.5 The employer and an employee may agree that the employee shall work overtime. An agreement on overtime work shall be concluded between the employee and the head of the structural unit or its subdivision and recorded in a format that can be reproduced in writing. Overtime work shall be compensated for in accordance with the Employment Contracts Act by granting an equivalent amount of time off or, by agreement, by monetary compensation.
8. Calculation of working time
8.1 Employees’ working time shall be recorded electronically in the HR system.
8.2 Summarised working time shall apply where an individual work schedule is used. The calculation period shall be agreed upon in the employee’s employment contract.
8.3 Where summarised working time is applied, the head of the structural unit shall prepare a work schedule and communicate it to the employee. The work schedule may be communicated by means of a timetable, a separate written document, orally or in any other form chosen by the head of the structural unit. A work schedule shall be prepared for the entire calculation period or at least for each calendar month. The calculation period shall not exceed four months. The employee shall be notified of the work schedule for the next period no later than the last working day before that period begins.
9. Break during the working day (lunch break)
9.1 Under the standard working time arrangement, an employee is entitled to a 30-minute break (lunch break).
9.2 Where an individual work schedule applies, the employee shall be given a break (lunch break) of at least 30 minutes after six hours of work.
9.3 Structural units serving students, employees and visitors shall remain open during lunch breaks.
10. Weekly rest time (days off)
10.1 Under the university’s standard working time arrangement based on a five-day working week, an employee’s days off shall be Saturday and Sunday.
10.2 Where an individual work schedule and summarised working time apply, the employee’s weekly days off shall be specified in his/her individual work schedule to ensure at least 36 consecutive hours of rest within a seven-day period.
11. Leave
11.1 The duration of annual leave shall be specified in the employee’s employment contract.
11.2 The duration of annual leave shall be as follows:
11.2.1 vice-rectors, the Director for Administration – 56 calendar days;
11.2.2 deans – 49 calendar days;
11.2.3 professors, lecturers, teachers – 56 calendar days;
11.2.4 research staff – 42 calendar days;
11.2.5 heads of structural units – 42 calendar days;
11.2.6 chief officers, officers, office assistants, skilled workers and labourers – 35 calendar days.
11.3 It is presumed that employees will first use the annual leave entitlement that expires earliest.
11.4 Annual leave shall not be interrupted over weekends while the employee has unused annual leave remaining.
11.5 As a rule, leave shall be arranged through a leave schedule specifying annual leave and any unused annual leave carried forward. Employees shall agree on their annual leave with their immediate superior, and the agreed leave shall be entered in the structural unit’s leave schedule. The leave schedule shall be coordinated by the head of the structural unit and approved by the employer’s representative.
11.6 The head of a structural unit or its subdivision may, on the basis of an employee’s application, amend the leave schedule or allow the employee to take leave not included in the schedule.
11.7 An employee may take unpaid leave by agreement with the head of the structural unit.
11.8 Other types of leave available to employees are provided for in Subchapter IV of Chapter 3 of the Employment Contracts Act and Chapter 4 of the Adult Education Act. The employer shall pay annual leave pay, study leave pay and carer’s leave pay in accordance with the procedure laid down in the Employment Contracts Act.
11.9 If leave is cancelled, interrupted or postponed, the unused portion shall be granted at a time agreed with the employee. The university shall automatically interrupt an employee’s leave for the duration of the employee’s temporary incapacity for work unless the employee requests otherwise. Where leave is interrupted, it shall end early and shall not be automatically extended by the number of unused leave days. The termination or postponement of a leave shall be set out in the self-service environment on the intranet or on the leave request form.
11.10 The employee’s immediate superior shall decide whether a substitute is needed during the employee’s leave and whom to appoint.
12. Remuneration
12.1 The remuneration of employees is governed by the Rules for Remuneration.
12.2 The remuneration calculation period is a calendar month.
12.3 The employer shall pay the employee remuneration once a month. Remuneration shall be paid no later than the last day of the current month. Remuneration shall be transferred to the bank account designated by the employee. The employer shall withhold and remit the taxes and contributions required by law on the employee’s remuneration
| Tax or contribution | Receiving institution | Purpose and benefits |
| Income tax | Tax and Customs Board | Income tax is used to finance the activities of state agencies and local government authorities. |
| Unemployment insurance premium | Tax and Customs Board | Unemployment insurance premiums fund unemployment insurance, which provides employees with protection in the event of unemployment through benefits, allowances and services. |
| Mandatory funded pension contribution | Tax and Customs Board | Mandatory funded pension contributions fund second-pillar pensions. |
| Social tax | Tax and Customs Board | Social tax is used to finance health insurance and first- and second-pillar pensions. |
Table. Tax and Customs Board. About the payment of labour taxes (https://www.emta.ee/ariklient/e-teenused-koolitused/nouanded/teadmiseks-toojoumaksude-tasumisel)
12.4 An employee shall notify the university of any changes to their bank details using the form available in the university’s Help Center or by submitting a digitally signed application to palgaarvestus@taltech.ee .
12.5 With the employee’s consent given in a format that can be reproduced in writing, the employer may set off any amount by which expenses incurred by the employee at the employer’s expense exceed the agreed limit against the employee’s claim for remuneration.
13. Duty to maintain confidentiality
13.1 An employee shall, during employment and for a reasonable period after the employment contract ends, maintain the confidentiality of non-public information obtained in connection with his/her employment whose disclosure may harm the employer’s interests or in respect of which the employer has a legitimate interest in maintaining confidentiality.
13.2 An employee shall not disclose confidential information to third parties or use it for his/her own benefit or for the benefit of third parties. Confidential information may be disclosed only in cases provided by law or with the permission of the employer’s representative.
13.3 If an employee breaches the duty to maintain confidentiality, the employer shall be entitled to demand a contractual penalty equivalent to six months’ basic salary, calculated at the employee’s current or most recent basic salary rate.
13.4 A breach of the duty to maintain confidentiality during the term of the employment contract shall constitute a fundamental breach of the employment contract, entitling the employer to terminate the contract extraordinarily for a reason attributable to the employee.
13.5 To further secure compliance with the duty to maintain confidentiality, an employee may be paid additional remuneration (a confidentiality fee). The amount and conditions payment shall be set out in a separate agreement.
14. Restraint of trade clause
14.1 During the term of the employment contract, an employee shall not compete with the employer (restraint of trade clause), given that the employee has access, in the course of employment, to the employer’s confidential information whose disclosure or use may harm the employer’s interests. An employee may engage in activities competing with the employer only on the proposal of the head of the structural unit and with the prior written permission of the employer’s representative.
14.2 Working for the employer’s competitor, providing services to the employer’s competitor, participating in its management or providing it with other services similar to the employee’s duties shall constitute competition with the employer.
14.3 Unless otherwise agreed in the employment contract, the restraint of trade clause shall not apply to small-scale work for a competitor or in its interests, provided that:
14.3.1 the work is carried out as part of cooperation between the employer and the competitor;
14.3.2 provided that the employee does not disclose any confidential information to the competitor in the course of that work; and
14.3.3 unless otherwise agreed in the employment contract.
14.4 The restraint of trade clause shall apply throughout the term of the employment contract in the territories in which the university operates, particularly in the higher education and research sectors of the European Union, the United States and China.
14.5 If an employee breaches the restraint of trade clause, the employer shall be entitled to demand a contractual penalty equivalent to six months’ basic salary, calculated at the employee’s current or most recent basic salary rate.
14.6 A breach of the restraint of trade clause shall constitute a fundamental breach of the employment contract, entitling the employer to terminate the employment contract extraordinarily.
14.7 During the term of the employment contract and after termination of the employment contract, where the parties have agreed on a post-employment restraint of trade clause, an employee shall, at the employer’s request and in accordance with the procedure established by the employer, provide information about his/her economic and professional activities to the extent necessary to verify compliance with the restraint of trade agreement.
15. Employee’s liability
15.1 An employee shall be liable for a breach of his/her duties in accordance with the law.
15.2 An employee shall be liable for a breach of his/her duties if she/he is at fault unless a proprietary liability agreement has been concluded on terms and conditions agreed between the employee and the head of the structural unit. The upper financial limit of liability and the amount of compensation shall be determined on the basis of the market value of the property entrusted to the employee.
15.3 If an employee breaches his/her employment duties, the employer may exercise the legal remedies provided for by law, the Collective Agreement and the employment contract, taking into account the circumstances of the breach, the limitations on the employee’s liability and the principle of proportionality.
15.4 If an employee is liable for damage caused to a third party in the performance of his/her duties, the employer shall release the employee from the obligation to compensate for the damage and bear the necessary legal expenses. The employer may claim compensation from the employee for the abovementioned damage . An employee’s liability for damage intentionally caused to a third party shall not be excluded or limited.
15.5 A breach of an information security requirement for which an employee is at fault shall constitute a breach of his/her employment duties. When assessing the breach, account shall be taken, among other factors, of its severity and consequences, whether the employee acted intentionally or negligently, the instructions given to the employee, the employee’s previous conduct and whether the breach is repeated.
15.6 The Chief Information Security Officer shall be involved in assessing the circumstances and information security implications of a suspected breach of an information security requirement. The Chief Information Security Officer shall document the information security assessment or arrange for it to be documented but shall not determine the employment-related consequences for the employee.
15.7 The employer’s representative or another competent manager shall decide on the employment-related measures to be taken in respect of the employee in cooperation with the Human Resources Office. A legal officer shall be involved in the proceedings where necessary.
16. Use of property
16.1 An employee shall use the employer’s property:
16.1.1 to perform his/her duties in the employer’s interests, except where personal use is permitted under the university’s regulations and subject to the conditions laid down therein;
16.1.2 economically and prudently in accordance with the user manuals and safety instructions and with the diligence required by the nature of the work.
16.2 In the event of a risk of damage to the property or a malfunction, the employee shall promptly notify his/her immediate superior.
16.3 The head of a structural unit shall establish the procedure for the use and storage of property placed at the unit’s disposal and familiarise the unit’s employees with that procedure.
17. Changes to or termination of duties or employment
17.1 Upon termination or cancellation of an employment contract, the notice periods specified in §§ 96–98 of the Employment Contracts Act and the university’s Collective Agreement shall be observed. A declaration of cancellation of the employment contract shall be submitted in a format that can be reproduced in writing. The party submitting a declaration of cancellation shall state the reasons for the cancellation unless the employee cancels the employment contract by ordinary notice or during the probationary period.
17.2 When an employee’s duties, position or structural unit changes, the immediate superior or the head of the structural unit shall ensure the handover of work-related information, work in progress, documents and responsibilities, and notify the Human Resources Office of the change in the agreed format and by the agreed deadline.
17.3 Upon termination of employment, the immediate superior or the head of the structural unit shall ensure the handover of work-related information, work in progress and documents, and arrange for the return of university property in the employee’s possession.
17.4 When an employee’s duties, position or structural unit changes, the employee shall return the work equipment, data storage media, keys, access card and other university property provided to the employee to the extent that these are no longer required for the performance of his/her duties following the change, and hand over the work-related information and documentation relevant to the change.
17.5 Upon termination of employment, the employee shall return the work equipment, data storage media, keys, access card and other university property provided to him/her and hand over work-related information and documentation no later than the end of his/her employment, unless the employer sets an earlier deadline.
17.6 The Human Resources Office shall coordinate the provision of information about changes to an employee’s duties or employment relationship to the unit responsible for managing access rights and technical resources, in accordance with the established procedure.
17.7 The Information Technology Services or the designated service provider shall modify or revoke access rights as required by changes to the employee’s duties, position or structural unit or by the termination of employment, arrange for the return or reconfiguration of IT equipment, and retain records of the actions taken.
17.8 After termination of employment, the employee’s confidentiality and other information protection obligations shall continue to apply to the extent provided for by law, the employment contract and these Rules.
18. Supervision
Supervision over compliance with the Rules shall be exercised by the Human Resources Office and persons appointed by the Rector.
19. Implementation
19.1 The Human Resources Office shall coordinate the implementation of the Rules unless otherwise provided in the Rules.
19.2 The Human Resources Office and the Chief Information Security Officer shall coordinate the implementation of Annex 8 within their respective areas of competence.
Annex 1
to Work Procedure Rules
Procedure for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest and Preventing Corruption
1. Acknowledging the obligation to act in the public interest and maintain trust in the university, the parties have agreed that the university’s economic activities shall be conducted in accordance with the Procedure for Avoiding Conflicts of Interest and Preventing Corruption (hereinafter “the Procedure”).
2. The purpose of the Procedure is to ensure the lawfulness of transactions undertaken in the course of the university’s economic activities and the integrity of employee conduct, and to prevent corruption risks arising in related interactions.
3. The purpose of the Procedure is not to prohibit employees from having private interests, but to raise awareness of conflicts of interest and help employees recognise and avoid them. A conflict of interest is a conflict between a university employee’s official duties and private interests, where those interests may influence the performance of the employee’s official duties.
4. The Human Resources Office shall make examples of conflicts of interest and the relevant rules of conduct available on the intranet. Employees may seek advice from competent persons at the university on resolving conflicts of interest.
5. Principles for avoiding conflicts of interest and preventing corruption:
5.1 performing official duties in the interests of the university and acting loyally towards the university are fundamental to honest conduct;
5.2 an employee shall avoid making decisions or entering into transactions in which the employee or a person connected to him/her has a private interest;
5.3 an employee shall inform his/her immediate superior of an actual or potential conflict of interest before undertaking the task;
5.4 an employee shall avoid using the university’s resources for personal benefit and shall not use his/her position of authority for personal purposes;
5.5 an employee shall refrain from accepting gifts if doing so could call into question his/her independence in performing official duties;
5.6 an employee shall not participate in decision-making by a university body on a matter concerning the employee or a person connected to him/her;
5.7 an employee shall not compete with the university;
5.8 an employee shall not work under the direct supervision of a close relative;
5.9 an employee shall comply with the rules on preventing corruption applicable in Estonia and at the university.
Annex 2
to Work Procedure Rules
Procedure for Conducting Annual Interviews
1. An annual interview is a discussion between a university employee and his/her superior (i.e. the head of the structural unit or the immediate superior appointed by the head of the structural unit), during which the employee’s performance is evaluated and his/her future career goals are set. During an annual interview, the employee’s job description is reviewed and either confirmed as remaining valid without amendment or amended as necessary.
2. The purpose of an annual interview is:
2.1 to provide feedback to an employee on his/her work performance by assessing how well he/she has fulfilled the responsibilities listed in the job description;
2.2 to specify the employee’s work tasks and priorities for the next period;
2.3 to exchange information to organise work more effectively;
2.4 to identify the employee’s development and training needs and agree on the activities and resources required to meet those needs;
2.5 to receive feedback on the operation and management of the unit;
2.6 to recognise the employee’s contribution and motivate him/her.
3. Both the superior and the employee shall prepare for the annual interview, which shall take place at least once a year at the time determined by the superior. The first annual interview with a new employee shall be conducted before the end of the employee’s probationary period.
4. The summary of the annual interview shall be approved by both parties and preferably stored in the university’s document management system. If the head of the structural unit arranges for the summary to be stored by other means, the storage method shall ensure that the summary can be reproduced and accessed only by the parties to the interview and staff responsible for preparing employment contracts.
5. Based on the results of an annual interview:
5.1 changes may be made to the employee’s job description;
5.2 the employee’s remuneration may be reviewed, including in light of the performance assessment, and performance pay may be awarded in accordance with the Rules for Remuneration;
5.3 a decision is made on whether the employee has successfully completed the probationary period;
5.4 a decision may be made regarding the terms and conditions of the employee’s employment contract.
Annex 3
to Work Procedure Rules
Estimated Workload and Classroom Contact Hours of Academic Staff
1. The main responsibilities of academic staff, including the types of classroom teaching and supervision, are laid down in the Regulation on Academic Career Management. The Regulation also provides that the head of the structural unit and the academic staff member’s immediate superior shall, by agreement with the staff member, specify their duties and the distribution of their workload across different types of academic activity in the job description, taking into account the staff member’s workload, the nature of the academic position and the structural unit. A greater workload and stronger performance in one type of academic activity may compensate for a smaller workload and lower performance in others.
2. This Annex sets out the estimated standard working time and annual teaching and supervision workload of full-time academic staff by academic position. The standard classroom teaching and supervision workloads establish the range within which the employer may expect the employee to undertake teaching and supervision. The standard workload may be exceeded by agreement with the employee.
3. The teaching workload of an academic staff member shall be calculated based on the classroom teaching hours entered in the study information system.
4. The workload allocated to the supervision of a graduation thesis at each level of study is as follows:
4.1 at bachelor’s level 30 hours;
4.2 at master’s level 50 hours;
4.3 at doctoral level 100 hours.
5. The annual supervision workload is calculated based on the recommended number of students per supervisor at each level of study. A lecturer’s annual supervision workload is calculated based on the total number of hours, not the number of graduation theses supervised at different levels of study.
6. At bachelor’s and master’s levels, the supervision workload shall count towards the lecturer’s workload if the student successfully completes his/her degree. At doctoral level, the supervision workload shall be counted if the PhD student successfully passes his/her annual attestation.
7. At bachelor’s level, only one supervisor shall be recognised for each graduation thesis. At master’s and doctoral levels, each thesis has a principal supervisor, who may allocate part of the supervision workload to a co-supervisor, provided that at least 50% of the supervision workload is allocated to the principal supervisor.
8. The estimated annual standard workload, including classroom teaching and supervision, for each type of academic position is set out in Table 1. The estimated annual standard workload, including classroom teaching and supervision, for each type of academic position filled before 1 January 2017 is set out in Table 2. The standard workloads set out in Table 1 apply to the positions specified in the previous Regulation on Academic Career Management that have substantially equivalent counterparts in the current Regulation.
9. If an academic staff member’s classroom teaching workload in an academic year is at least 25% below the standard workload, the employee’s immediate supervisor may propose changes to the employee’s duties or workload.
Table 1. Estimated standard annual workload, classroom teaching workload and supervision workload of academic staff
| Academic position or rank | Estimated annual workload in clock hours | Maximum classroom teaching workload in academic hours / clock hours | Supervision workload in clock hours |
| Professor | 1,760 | 256 / 192 | 400 |
| Senior Lecturer | 1,760 | 448 / 336 | 260 |
| Lecturer | 1,760 | 512 / 384 | 260 |
| Senior Researcher | 1,850 | 128 / 96 | 270 |
| Researcher | 1,850 | 128 / 96 | 90 |
| Early Stage Researcher | 1,850 | 128 / 96 | 90 |
Table 2. Estimated standard annual workload, classroom teaching workload and supervision workload for academic positions filled before 1 January 2017
| Position | Estimated annual workload in clock hours | Maximum classroom teaching workload in academic hours / clock hour | Supervision workload in clock hours |
| Associate Professor | 1,760 | 384 / 288 | 260 |
| Teacher | 1,760 | 640 / 480 | – |
Annex 4
to Work Procedure Rules
Procedure for Submitting and Investigating Whistleblower Reports
1. General provisions
1.1 The Procedure for Submitting and Investigating Whistleblower Reports sets out the principles for reporting offences, misdemeanours or circumstances that may harm the university’s property or reputation.
1.2 By following the whistleblowing principles, the university:
1.2.1 encourages university staff to report misconduct;
1.2.2 guarantees confidential and anonymous reporting;
1.2.3 ensures that reports are investigated effectively and independently;
1.2.4 protects whistleblowers from retaliation.
1.3 Reports may concern actions and circumstances affecting the whistleblower or others.
1.4 Reports made frivolously, maliciously or for personal gain are unacceptable.
1.5 Whistleblower protection is not guaranteed to a person who has repeatedly provided incorrect information.
1.6 When investigating reports, the university processes personal data to the extent necessary to detect and prevent corruption and other offences and to protect its legal rights.
1.7 Cases reported through the whistleblowing hotline that, by their nature, fall within the scope of conciliation shall be referred for conciliation.
2. Description of the process for submitting and investigating whistleblower reports
2.1 A whistleblower should preferably first seek to resolve the issue he/she has become aware of by consulting his/her immediate superior.
2.2 If the report concerns the immediate superior, or if other circumstances make it unreasonable to expect the immediate superior to resolve the issue, a report may be submitted:
2.2.1 confidentially, by notifying an internal auditor or another person who will forward the report to the internal auditor;
2.2.2 confidentially, by completing the whistleblowing form on the university’s website and providing contact details;
2.2.3 anonymously, by completing the whistleblowing form on the university’s website without providing contact details.
2.3 When a report is submitted using the online form, the system sends an automatic acknowledgement of receipt.
2.4 Reports shall be recorded and treated as confidential by everyone involved in reviewing them under this Procedure.
2.5 Reports shall be managed by an internal auditor, who shall inform the Head of the Human Resources Office and the Chief Legal Officer as necessary. Reports concerning the activities of an internal auditor shall not be reviewed under this Procedure.
2.6 An internal auditor shall decide whether a report requires investigation. The following shall not be investigated:
2.6.1 reports that do not concern the circumstances listed in clause 1.1;
2.6.2 reports containing inaccurate information;
2.6.3 reports that do not identify a specific person, act or unit.
2.7 Procedure for investigating a report:
2.7.1 an internal auditor examines the report and decides whether further investigation is necessary;
2.7.2 a report shall be investigated within a reasonable time, depending on the nature of the information it contains.
2.8 Reports shall be investigated by an internal auditor together with:
2.8.1 the person’s immediate superior (e.g. the head of the department), if the report concerns a person;
2.8.2 the unit head’s immediate superior (e.g. the dean), if the report concerns a unit or its head;
2.8.3 a person appointed by the University Board if the report concerns the Rector;
2.8.4 another person to whom the internal auditor assigns the investigation where necessary to ensure confidentiality, maintain a harmonious working environment or for other similar reasons.
2.9 The person whose activities are being investigated shall be given the opportunity to provide an explanation.
2.10 If circumstances indicating an offence are identified, the university shall report the suspected offence to the police or another competent authority.
2.11 A report of a breach of academic ethics shall be forwarded to the Academic Ethics Committee.
2.12 A whistleblower who reports confidentially shall receive feedback on the investigation of the report. An anonymous whistleblower shall not receive feedback on the investigation of the report.
3. Final provisions
3.1 An internal auditor shall inform the Rector of reports requiring investigation, unless the content of the report makes this unnecessary.
3.2 An internal auditor shall report regularly to the Audit Committee on the implementation of this Procedure, specifically the investigation of reports.
3.3 The measures set out in the Procedure for Submitting and Investigating Whistleblower Reports shall be reviewed and supplemented as necessary
Annex 5
to Work Procedure Rules
Procedure for Reimbursing Health Promotion Expenses
1. General provisions
1.1 The Procedure establishes the principles governing the reimbursement of health promotion expenses for university employees through the Stebby platform.
1.2 The purpose of reimbursing health promotion expenses is to support employees’ health and maintain their work ability.
1.3 All university employees with an employment contract, including those whose contracts are temporarily suspended, are eligible for reimbursement from the date their employment contract is signed.
1.4 The university offers reimbursement of health promotion expenses to employees on a calendar-year basis through the Stebby platform.
1.5 The reimbursement may be used to pay for tax-exempt health promotion services available on the Stebby platform in the following categories: sports, events, massage, and physiotherapy.
1.6 For each service purchased, the university reimburses up to 70% of the cost, and the employee pays at least 30% as a co-payment.
2. Reimbursement types and applicable rates
2.1 The maximum amount of health promotion expenses reimbursed to an employee per calendar year depends on the reimbursement type assigned to the employee, which is determined by the employee’s place of work, workload, and duration of employment.
2.2 The reimbursement type and applicable rate are determined on the basis of the terms agreed in the employee’s employment contract and the data recorded in the HR database.
2.3 The reimbursement type is generally determined once per calendar year – at the beginning of the year or when the employee joins the TalTech account on the Stebby platform.
Reimbursement types and rates per employee per calendar year
| Place of work | Full reimbursement rate | Reduced reimbursement rate |
| Tallinn | 280 euros per year | 140 euros per year |
| Outside Tallinn | 400 euros per year | 200 euros per year |
2.4 The higher reimbursement rate applies to employees whose place of work, as specified in their employment contract, is outside Tallinn, regardless of the employee’s structural unit.
2.5 The reduced reimbursement rate applies in the following cases:
2.5.1 the employee’s workload is 0.5 FTE or less, regardless of the duration of employment during the calendar year;
2.5.2 the employee’s workload exceeds 0.5 FTE, but the duration of employment during the calendar year is six months or less.
2.6 The full reimbursement rate applies where the employee’s workload exceeds 0.5 FTE and the duration of employment during the calendar year exceeds six months.
2.7 The duration of employment during a calendar year is determined on the basis of the data recorded in the HR database at the time the reimbursement entitlement is determined.
2.8 If the reimbursement entitlement is determined during the calendar year, both the duration of employment known at that time and any prior employment during the same calendar year are taken into account. The duration of employment is calculated in whole months. Any calendar month in which the employment contract is in force for at least one day counts as a month of employment.
2.9 The employee is assigned the corresponding reimbursement plan on the Stebby platform based on his/her reimbursement type.
Principles for determining the reimbursement type
| Workload of 0.5 FTE or less | Workload exceeding 0.5 FTE | |
| Duration of employment six months or less | reduced reimbursement rate | reduced reimbursement rate |
| Duration of employment more than six months | reduced reimbursement rate | full reimbursement rate |
3. Reimbursement of expenses
3.1 Reimbursement for services purchased through the Stebby platform depends on the employee’s reimbursement type and the maximum annual reimbursement amount.
3.2 Costs related to the use of the Stebby platform are covered by the budget of the structural unit in which the employee holds his/her primary position, as recorded in the HR database.
3.3 Stebby-related costs are charged to structural units quarterly through internal invoices.
3.4 The structural unit’s costs consist of:
3.4.1 the amount reimbursed for health promotion services used by employees;
3.4.2 the Stebby platform fee calculated on the basis of the number of active users in the structural unit.
4. Use and administration of the Stebby platform
4.1 The Human Resources Office is responsible for approving requests to join the TalTech group on the Stebby platform, determining reimbursement plans, and managing users.
4.2 An employee joins the Stebby platform by creating a user account and submitting a request to join the Tallinn University of Technology (TalTech) group. An employee may use the Stebby platform once his/her membership request has been approved and his/her reimbursement plan has been determined
4.3 When creating an account, the employee shall use his/her official full name and university email address and provide his/her personal identification number These data are used to identify the employee, verify eligibility for reimbursement, and determine the reimbursement plan.
4.4 To optimise costs, the Human Resources Office, takes the following steps each month:
4.4.1 removes employees whose employment contracts have ended from the Stebby platform;
4.4.2 temporarily deactivates the accounts of employees who have used their full annual reimbursement entitlement, keeping them inactive until the end of the calendar year.
4.5 At the end of the calendar year, the TalTech group on the Stebby platform is temporarily closed to update employee data and determine reimbursement plans and is reopened to employees in January.
4.6 Detailed information and key dates relating to the use and administration of the Stebby platform are communicated via the intranet or other internal communication channels.
Annex 6
to Work Procedure Rules
Organisation of Remote Work
1. General terms and conditions
1.1 “Remote working” means performing work that would normally be carried out at the workplace outside Tallinn University of Technology’s premises, including at the employee’s home. Remote working is not the same as a business trip.
1.2 Remote working is permitted by prior agreement between the employee and the head of his/her structural unit or his/her immediate superior. The employer has no right to require the employee to work remotely, and the employee has no right to demand remote working.
1.3 Remote working requires agreement between the head of the structural unit and the employee on its terms and conditions, as well as identification of the risk factors at the remote workplace.
1.4 The head of a structural unit may unilaterally terminate the remote working agreement in accordance with the law and the Work Procedure Rules, including where the employee fails to perform his/her duties while working remotely, is unavailable at the agreed times, or fails to comply with the obligations set out in the Rules, or where other circumstances hinder the performance of work.
2. Working time arrangements for remote working
2.1 An employee’s working time shall follow either the general working hours established in the Work Procedure Rules or an individual work schedule agreed in accordance with the employment contract.
2.2 When working remotely, an employee shall comply with the restrictions set out in the Employment Contracts Act:
2.2.1 work during the general working hours from 06:00 to 22:00;
2.2.2 take a break of at least 30 minutes after no more than six hours of work, which shall not count as working time;
2.2.3 have at least 11 consecutive hours of rest in each 24-hour period;
2.2.4 have at least 48 consecutive hours of rest in each seven-day period.
2.3 Night work, work on public holidays and overtime work are permitted only by prior agreement with the employer in a form that can be reproduced in writing.
2.4 An employee shall inform his/her immediate superior, in a form that can be reproduced in writing, of any circumstances that prevent compliance with the requirements set out in clause 2.2.
3. Employee’s responsibilities when working remotely
3.1 An employee must be available and participate in work-related meetings and events during the working hours set out in the Work Procedure Rules or agreed in an individual work schedule, using the means of communication agreed with the head of the structural unit or immediate superior.
3.2 An employee must attend the workplace when requested by the head of the structural unit or immediate superior, no later than the following working day. Travel to locations from which the employee cannot return within this time must be agreed in advance with the immediate superior.
3.3 If circumstances hindering the performance of work (such as illness or personal circumstances) arise, the employee must report any temporary incapacity for work or submit an application for leave or a reduction in normal working hours, as appropriate.
3.4 When working remotely, the employee shall comply with Annex 8 to the Rules and the confidentiality, data protection and information security requirements applicable to him/her.
3.5 When working remotely, an employee shall ensure the safekeeping and prudent use of the university’s property provided to him/her for the performance of his/her duties.
3.6 An employee must follow the university’s safety instructions for remote work and comply with the applicable safety and ergonomics requirements when setting up a remote workspace. An employee shall provide accurate information about the remote working environment and the associated workplace risk factors.
3.7 If an employee suffers an accident at work while working remotely, the employee shall provide the employer with photographs or video footage of the accident scene or allow the employer access to the scene to investigate the accident.
4. Information security requirements for remote work
4.1 When working remotely, the employee shall use devices, user accounts, software, communication tools and connection methods approved by the university, unless otherwise authorised by the employer.
4.2 An employee shall retain control of his/her authentication devices and credentials and shall not allow anyone else to use the user account or access rights assigned to him/her.
4.3 An employee shall protect information from unauthorised access at the remote workplace, lock the screen when leaving his/her work device unattended, and store documents and data storage media in a manner that prevents loss, damage or unauthorised use.
4.4 An employee shall not leave work devices or other information assets unattended in public places or vehicles and shall take reasonable measures to protect them physically during transport.
4.5 An employee shall ensure that confidential work-related conversations cannot be overheard and that work-related information cannot be viewed by unauthorised persons.
4.6 An employee shall process and store work-related information in environments approved by the university and comply with the security requirements applicable to the device and information concerned. Personal devices, including mobile devices, may be used for work purposes subject to the conditions established by the university. Exceptions to information security requirements shall be approved in accordance with the procedure set out in the Information Security Policy.
4.7 An employee shall not remove or weaken any security measure applied to a device, user account, connection or information.
4.8 An employee shall immediately report the loss, theft or damage of a work device, data storage medium or work-related information, any unauthorised disclosure of work-related information, or any other actual or suspected information security event to helpdesk@taltech.ee or cybersecurity@taltech.ee.
5. Obligations of structural units
5.1 The head of a structural unit shall organise the unit’s activities so that remote working does not adversely affect its operations, including by identifying tasks that cannot be performed remotely.
5.2 A structural unit shall:
5.2.1 where necessary, provide employees with the equipment required for remote working;
5.2.2 where possible, help furnish employees’ home offices using existing university assets or purchasing new ones for this purpose; The removal of university assets from university premises shall be documented in a record signed by the employee.
5.2.3 arrange for employees to receive instruction on the occupational health and safety rules applicable to remote working, with the involvement of the chief working environment specialist where necessary.
5.3 When an employee works remotely, the employer shall reimburse additional work-related communication costs incurred while working from home, subject to the limit set out in the Accounting Policies and Procedures. The employer shall not reimburse any other expenses unless otherwise agreed in advance and shall not pay additional remuneration for remote working.
Annex 7
to Work Procedure Rules
Principles of Processing an Employees’ Personal Data
1.1 The university processes an employee’s personal data:
1.1.1 to comply with a legal obligation to which the university is subject;
1.1.2 to perform tasks carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the university;
1.1.3 to perform contracts to which the employee is a party;
1.1.4 to take steps at the data subject’s request before entering into a contract;
1.1.5 with the employee’s consent.
1.2 The university processes special categories of personal data relating to an employee:
1.2. 1 to fulfil its obligations under employment and social security law;
1.2. 2 to protect the employee’s vital interests where the employee is physically or legally incapable of giving consent;
1.2.3 in connection with the activities of the trade union ;
1.2.4 with the employee’s consent.
1.3 An employee’s photo is used on his/her university access card, and the employee may also publish it on the university’s intranet.
1.4 The university processes data concerning a child or a person with special needs, obtained with the employee’s consent, to provide services to the employee.
1.5 The university uses contact details provided with the employee’s consent to notify his/her designated emergency contact in the event of an emergency or an accident at work.
1.6 The university shall implement organisational, physical and technical information security measures when processing an employee’s personal data. The university shall ensure the availability, integrity and confidentiality of the systems used to process employees’ personal data.
1.7 An employee may view the personal data that the university processes about him/her and review the principles governing its processing and protection through the self-service environment on the university’s intranet.
1.8 The university’s regulations on personal data processing and protection and its Information Security Policy are available on the university’s website.
Annex 8
to Work Procedure Rules
Employees’ information security obligations
1. General provisions
1.1 This Annex sets out the employee’s information security obligations and responsibilities for fulfilling them.
1.2 An employee shall comply with the Information Security Policy, applicable information security legislation, procedures and guidelines, and the employer’s lawful instructions.
1.3 An employee shall comply with information security requirements to the extent determined by his/her duties, assigned access rights and the level of protection required for the information he/she uses.
2. Acceptable use of information assets
2.1 An employee shall use the university’s information, information systems, devices, user accounts and other information assets to perform his/her duties and within the scope of permissions assigned to him/her. Personal use is permitted only in the circumstances and subject to the conditions set out in the university’s regulations.
2.2 An employee shall use information assets responsibly and in a manner that does not harm the university or other persons or compromise the confidentiality, integrity or availability of information assets.
2.3 An employee shall not allow anyone else to use the user account, authentication device or access rights assigned to him/her.
2.4 An employee shall install and use software on the equipment provided to him/her and use services for work purposes only in accordance with the university’s requirements and permissions assigned to him/her.
2.5 An employee shall inform his/her immediate superior if the assigned access rights are insufficient for the performance of his/her duties or permit access to information or functions beyond what is justified by his/her duties or role.
3. Protection of information, authentication credentials and the workplace
3.1 An employee shall handle information in accordance with the level of protection it requires and the classification and handling requirements communicated to him/her.
3.2 An employee shall retain control of his/her authentication devices and credentials and protect them against disclosure, copying and unauthorised use.
3.3 An employee shall lock the screen when leaving his/her work device unattended and store documents and data storage media in a manner that prevents unauthorised access.
3.4 An employee shall not leave documents, data storage media or work devices containing confidential information unprotected in public or unattended locations.
3.5 An employee shall ensure that work-related information cannot be seen or overheard by unauthorised persons and shall take this into account when choosing where to work, where to hold conversations and which means of communication to use.
3.6 An employee shall process and store work-related information in an environment approved by the university. Personal user accounts, storage services or devices may be used only with the employer’s prior permission.
4. Information security awareness and training
4.1 An employee shall complete all assigned onboarding, refresher and role-specific training in information security.
4.2 An employee shall familiarise himself/herself with the information security documents applicable to him/her and any significant amendments to them, and apply the requirements when performing his/her duties.
4.3 The Chief Information Security Officer shall define the scope and content of information security training and advise the Human Resources Office and others responsible for delivering the training on its organisation.
4.4 The Human Resources Office shall inform employees, organise training and ensure that evidence of the completion of training is retained in accordance with the established training procedures.
5. Reporting information security events
5.1 An employee shall immediately report any actual or suspected information security event or any security vulnerability he/she discovers to helpdesk@taltech.ee or cybersecurity@taltech.ee. Reports may also be submitted through any other officially announced reporting channel.
5.2 An employee shall preserve any information in his/her possession relating to the event and shall not alter or delete potential evidence unless this is strictly necessary to limit immediate harm or is done on the instructions of the person handling the event.
5.3 An employee shall cooperate in resolving the event, provide any relevant information known to him/her and follow instructions issued to limit its impact.
5.4 The Chief Information Security Officer shall ensure that the report is recorded, its information security impact is assessed and any follow-up action is assigned to the appropriate person.
6. Changes to or termination of duties, roles or employment
6.1 When an employee’s duties or role change, he/she shall inform his/her immediate superior if any access rights he/she retains permit access to information or functions beyond what is justified by his/her new duties or role.
6.2 When an employee’s duties or role change, he/she shall hand over the work-related information and documentation relevant to the change and return any university property no longer needed to perform his/her duties.
6.3 Upon termination of employment, the employee shall hand over work-related information and documentation and return all university property in his/her possession no later than the end of his/her employment. If objective circumstances prevent the handover from being completed by that time, the employer shall set a deadline and specify the handover arrangements. Work-related information, documentation and administrative matters shall be handed over in accordance with the university’s Records Management Rules.
6.4 The immediate superior or head of the structural unit shall arrange the handover of work-related information and responsibilities and provide the Human Resources Office and the Information Technology Services with the information needed to modify or revoke access rights.
6.5 The Information Technology Services or designated service provider shall modify or revoke access rights as required by changes to the employee’s duties or role or the termination of employment, arrange for the return or reconfiguration of IT equipment, and retain records of the actions taken. A later deadline set for handing over property or work-related information shall not automatically extend the validity of the employee’s access rights. Temporary access required for the handover shall be granted where there is a justified need, with a limited scope and for a specified period, in accordance with the established access management procedure.
6.6 An employee’s confidentiality and other information protection obligations shall continue after his/her duties, role or employment end, to the extent provided for by law, the employment contract and the university’s regulations.
7. Handling breaches of information security requirements
7.1 Information concerning a possible breach of an information security requirement shall be forwarded to the Chief Information Security Officer.
7.2 The Chief Information Security Officer shall participate in assessing the circumstances and information security impact of the breach and shall document the assessment or arrange for it to be documented. The Chief Information Security Officer shall not determine the employment-related consequences for the employee.
7.3 An employee’s breach of an information security requirement shall be handled in accordance with clause 15 of the Rules.
7.4 Each breach shall be assessed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account, among other factors, its severity and consequences, the employee’s culpability, the instructions given to him/her, his/her previous conduct and whether the breach is repeated.
8. Responsibility for implementation
8.1 The Human Resources Office shall ensure that the employee is familiar with the provisions of this Annex and manage any employment-related proceedings arising from a breach of information security requirements.
8.2 The Chief Information Security Officer shall define the scope and content of information security requirements and training, advise those subject to the requirements and those responsible for implementing them, and participate in assessing breaches of information security requirements.
8.3 The immediate superior or head of the structural unit shall ensure that those responsible for implementation are informed in good time of any changes to the employee’s duties, role, access rights or employment, and that work-related information is handed over.
8.4 The Information Technology Services or designated service provider shall implement changes to access rights and IT equipment and retain records confirming their implementation.