Greece is one of the most energetic destinations for business expansion and employee recruitment in Europe. Whether you are an overseas business planning on employing workers in Greece, or you are someone looking for work, it is important to understand Greek labour laws, Greek workplace regulations, and employee rights in Greece. These labour laws outline the rights of employees and employers in the workplace, and are designed to support quality and fairness in working practices and compliance in the workforce.
At Dynamic Staffing Services, we know the problems of labour law and the necessity of compliance with local laws in Greece. As a recruitment agency with years of experience in local labour and employment regulations, we are able to provide business partners with tools to comply with local laws while sourcing quality talent for their workforce. In this article, we will outline aspects of Greek labour laws and workplace regulations to assist employers and employees alike.
Understanding Greek Labour Laws
Labour laws in Greece are well governed by the Greek Labour Code. The Greek Labour Code determines a lot of regulations on employment relationships, rights of workers and duties of employers. The Code takes into account all aspects of employment relationships, such as working time, pay, holidays, reasons for dismissal, etc.
For organisations to comply with labour laws in Greece, certain aspects of labour contracts must be complied with in order to limit suit exposure and provide workers with their legal rights. The following are some considerations for organisations and workers:
Working Hours and Overtime Regulations
In Greece, the regular working week is 40 hours, which are usually spread over five consecutive days and eight hours of work each day. However, employees can work up to 48 hours per week with an employee’s agreement to work over the normal working hours, and a maximum of ten hours.
When employees work over the normal working hours, they will be eligible for the above normal hours, referred to as overtime, which is prescribed by law:
- Up to the first two hours of overtime, employees will receive an extra gross payment of 25% of their normal wage.
- After two hours have passed, the employee will receive an additional payment of 50% of their gross normal wage for all excess worked hours.
For employers, knowing how the rules are structured in and around working hours and overtime means employees will be fairly compensated for the work they do above and beyond their normal work hours, which also may prevent unreasonable liabilities under the law.
Employee Rights in Greece
Employee rights are very well protected in Greece. The rights of workers include the following:
- Paid leave: Employees are allowed to take 20 days of paid holidays a year, as well as paid days off for public holidays.
- Sick Leave: Employees are allowed to take sick leave of up to 6 months paid. Compensation will depend on the terms of the employee’s contract and the contributions to social security at the point of employment.
- Maternity/Paternity Leave: Female employees are entitled to 17 weeks of paid maternity leave, and fathers are entitled to 2 days of paid paternity leave.
Employers must follow these rights. Under Greek employment law, it is the right of all employees to receive the benefits stated above.
Health and Safety Regulations in Greek Workplaces
Health and safety are the main priorities of Greek workplace regulation. Employers must be able to provide a safe working environment for their employees and meet the obligation to provide strict safety regulations. Employers must:
- Implement preventative measures for an accident and injury-free workplace.
- Maintain and regularly inspect equipment and machinery.
- Complete risk assessments and create Health & Safety opportunities.
- Provide personal protective equipment for workers operating in hazardous environments.
- Provide training to employees about health and safety procedures and practices.
Employees have a right to report unsafe conditions. Employers have a legal duty to address unsafe conditions to ensure safe and healthy workplaces for everyone.
Employee Termination and Severance Pay
The termination of employment is managed in Greece by the Greek Labour Code. Employees may be terminated for performance, economic or conduct reasons; employees cannot be terminated without justification.
Employee rights in Greece are protected from unfair termination. Workers are owed severance based on length of service; severance pay is owed as follows:
- 1-2 years of service – 1 month severance pay
- 2-5 years of service – 2 months severance pay
- 10 years of service – 3 months severance pay
- More than 10 years of service – 4 months severance pay
Employers must follow the proper procedure for terminating employees and provide the appropriate notice (usually 1-3 months) before termination can take effect.
Labour Compliance in Greece for Employers
You need to remain compliant with labour regulations in Greece if you have a business in Greece. Some of the compliance issues are:
- Employment Contracts – Employees must receive written employment contracts that outline elements such as wage level, hours of work and duties.
- Social security contributions – Employers have to pay social security contributions to cover health insurance, pensions and unemployment benefits on behalf of the employee.
- Taxation – Employers must deduct income tax from their employees’ pay, which must be remitted to the Greek tax authorities.
A lot of employers in Greece, in order to get it all right, have a business arrangement with professional staffing and recruitment agencies, like Dynamic Staffing Services. Choosing professional staffing and recruitment agencies helps businesses manage the complexity of the local labour laws and compliance with all legal obligations while hiring workers.
The Role of Staffing Agencies in Ensuring Compliance
For overseas companies looking to gain access to the Greek market, teaming up with a staffing agency is very beneficial. Dynamic Staffing Services provides value by helping businesses comply with the local laws for the workplace in Greece by:
- Providing good advice on the legal requirements for employee rights and obligations.
- Assisting in drafting a legally compliant employment contract.
- Ensuring that the worker is registered with the necessary social security and health insurance.
- Ensuring that payroll and taxes are compliant and correctly processed.
Working with a staffing agency ensures a business is compliant while gaining qualified talent to help meet its operational needs.
How Dynamic Staffing Services Can Help with Recruitment and Compliance
Dynamic Staffing Services specialises in supplying staffing solutions to ensure that they comply with Greek labour laws while fulfilling your requirement of finding suitable workers.
Our services include:
Recruitment: We are here to help your company save time in the search for appropriately qualified, skilled workers that meet all industry requirements
Compliance: We ensure that all the workers we have on our roster are fully compliant with Greek workplace regulations and hire them under those employment regulations and workplace rights.
Training and Development: We provide employees with training for them to understand their workplace rights, responsibilities, obligations and opportunities for ongoing and continuous training.
Dynamic Staffing Services has been in global staffing for more than 47 years, and it’s your trusted partner for you to work through the labour laws in Greece and to establish a new compliance workforce.
Ensuring Compliance with Greek Labour Laws and Workplace Regulations
Greek labour laws and Greek workplace regulations are designed to safeguard employees and employers, to help create a fair and safe working environment. Whether you are an employer engaging in hiring in Greece or an employee who wants to know what rights you may have, it is important to stay informed regarding these laws.
Dynamic Staffing Services can provide expert staffing solutions for both employers and employees that aid organisations in satisfying legislative compliance and workforce requirements. If you would like to know more about how Dynamic Staffing Services provides for your organisation’s hiring needs and employee regulatory compliance in Greece, please contact us at clientservices@dss-hr.com or call +91-11-40410000.
Dynamic Staffing Services can help you navigate the complexities of knowing employee rights in Greece and ensuring your operations remain legally compliant and continue to run smoothly!
Also read:- https://www.dss-hr.com/blog/greece-turns-to-migrants-to-fill-gaping-labor-gaps
