Eesti in brief - 2009-04-22

  • 2009-04-22
On April 20 the Board of Estonian Unemployment Fund came to the decision to increase the level of unemployment contributions from 0.9 percent to the maximum allowed by existing legislation, which is 3 percent. "We have agreed that contributions from employers this year will not exceed 1 percent of the employee's salary", said Tarmo Kriis, chairman of the Estonian Employers' Central Union. Thus, contributions by workers will amount to 2 percent of their salaries. According to Kriis, an agreement was also reached with regards to the new labor contract legislation, which comes into force on July 1. The chapters on staff reductions and compensations in case of layoffs will remain in the new law.

Participants in second pillar pension programs will temporarily get an increase in their wages. Estonian residents that have joined the second level of the pension fund will receive an increase in their salaries for seven months. This will begin after July 1, when the government will stop its payments 's which currently amount to 4 percent in addition to 2 percent that is paid by employees themselves. The increase will be achieved through money that was previously contributed to the pension fund. Those who will decide to continue contributing 2 percent from their salaries to the pension fund should wait until next year to continue payments, the government said. It said the period is necessary to review all applications.

Aripaev has reported that one of the country's largest agro-goods companies, Konekesko, has found 6,500 tons of fertilizer went missing over a three month period. The fertilizer, which would require 270 large trucks to transport, is estimated to have cost the company nearly 33 million kroons. The amount covers approximately one tenth of the country's annual fertilizer needs. "6500 tons! One person with one truck doesn't take such quantity. It can't be possible. We currently don't know who's guilty, investigation is ongoing and questionings have been done," said Tonu Kelder, the CEO of Konekesko Estonia.