NEW LABOUR LAW IN GREECE

According to new law n. 4611/2019, certain major changes have taken place:

1) In order for the indefinite time (open-ended) employment contracts to be validly terminated full and justified reasoning is required (as of 17-05-2019). The relevant evidence must be provided by the employer. That was not the issue before law 4611/2019, since the employers had the right to terminate an indefinite period contract without specific reasoning. The relevant form E6- termination of an open-ended employment contract is now amended.

2) As of 17-05-2019 part-time and shiftwork employment contracts need to be concluded only in writing (or need to be notified to the State Employment Office in 8 days from its commencement). Otherwise, such contracts are considered by law as full-time contracts.

3) The dismissal compensation and the tax on that compensation is payable as of 01-07-2019 by bank transfer directly to the employee’s work account.

4) The paid annual leave will have to be notified electronically to the on-line system kept with the Ministry of Labour (ERGANI) at least one hour after its commencement (the relevant ministerial decision for the entry into force of this provision is still to be issued).

5) As of 1.9.2018 (under law 448/2107 and the related ministerial decisions), the employer is obliged to register with ERGANI each and every over-time working hour of every employee per day.