Canary Islands (IC)
The Canary Islands are Spain's Atlantic autonomous community: Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Graciosa.
Employment Rights
Sick leave, dismissal protection and red flags in Canary Islands.
Spain has strong statutory employee protections through the Estatuto de los Trabajadores (ET), sector-wide collective agreements (convenios colectivos), and specialist labour courts (Juzgados de lo Social). Unions (CCOO, UGT, CIG, ELA) and comités de empresa (works councils at 50+ employees) are important. Every employee should know their applicable convenio — it can double minimum wage, holidays and severance rights beyond the legal floor.
Sick leave
Rules: Notify your employer the same day (morning of absence ideally). Your médico de familia at the Centro de Salud issues a parte de baja médica (medical leave certificate) the same day. Since 1 April 2023 (RD 1060/2022), the doctor transmits the parte electronically to INSS/Seguridad Social and to your employer — you no longer physically hand the paper copy. Weekly parte de confirmación may be required until parte de alta (return).
Doctor note: Parte de baja required from day 1 of sick leave. Employers may request it earlier in the working day but legally you have up to 3 days to submit it. Absence without parte = unjustified absence = disciplinary risk.
Employer pay: Days 1–3: unpaid (unless convenio or contract says otherwise — many do cover these). Days 4–15: employer pays 60% of the base reguladora. Day 16 onwards: Seguridad Social pays 60% (days 16–20) rising to 75% from day 21.
Long-term: After 365 days of Incapacidad Temporal, INSS reviews. Can be extended another 180 days if recovery likely, then transitioned to Incapacidad Permanente (parcial, total, absoluta, gran invalidez) with different benefit levels. Autónomos have similar rules but must have contracted cese de actividad and pay contingencias comunes.
Dismissal protection
Law: Estatuto de los Trabajadores arts. 49–56. Three types: despido disciplinario (for-cause, 0 indemnización if upheld), despido objetivo (e.g. economic/organisational reasons, 20 days/year up to 12 months), despido improcedente (unfair, 33 days/year up to 24 months for contracts post-Feb 2012, or 45 days/year for earlier contracts up to Feb 2012). Despido nulo (null) triggers reinstatement + back-pay + damages.
Deadline to sue: 20 working days (días hábiles — excluding Sundays, national & local holidays) from receipt of the carta de despido to file papeleta de conciliación at SMAC / UMAC (mediation service) and then demand at the Juzgado de lo Social. This is a CADUCIDAD (forfeit) deadline — NOT a statute of limitations. Miss it by one day and your right to challenge is GONE forever, regardless of the dismissal being illegal.
Probation
Periodo de prueba: maximum set by convenio. Default ET limits: 6 months for técnicos titulados; 2 months for other workers at companies with 25+ employees; 3 months at smaller companies. During prueba, either side can terminate without cause and without severance. Clauses longer than legal maximum are void. Protected workers (pregnant, disabled) may not be dismissed during prueba on grounds that would be discriminatory.
Notice periods
Employer objective dismissal: 15 days written notice (or pay in lieu). Employee resignation (baja voluntaria): notice period set by convenio (typically 15 days, sometimes 1 month for técnicos). No notice required for despido disciplinario. Collective dismissals (ERE) have specific consultation procedures of 15–30 days with workers' representatives.
Working time
Max hours: Jornada máxima: 40 hours per week on annual average (ET art. 34). Daily max 9 ordinary hours unless convenio allows distribution. From 1 January 2025 employers must keep daily digital time records (control horario) per RD-ley 8/2019 — fines up to €7,500 for non-compliance. 2025 bill reducing statutory week to 37.5 hours in negotiation but not yet passed as of 2026.
Min rest: 12 hours minimum daily rest between workdays. Weekly rest 1.5 days minimum (typically Sunday + half-day). Break of 15+ minutes required for workdays >6 hours (paid or unpaid per convenio). Under-18s: 30-minute break from 4.5 hours.
Overtime: Horas extraordinarias capped at 80/year (ET art. 35). Must be paid at minimum same rate as ordinary or compensated with equivalent time off within 4 months. Horas estructurales (for unavoidable operational reasons) can be extra. Unpaid overtime is a frequent labour infraction — always keep your own records.
Vacation
Minimum 30 calendar days (= 22 working days) per full year under ET art. 38. Convenios commonly grant 23–25 working days. Cannot be paid off in lieu unless termination. Must be taken within the calendar year (some convenios allow Jan–Mar carryover). Festivos (public holidays) don't count as vacation.
Anti-discrimination
Ley 15/2022 Integral de Igualdad de Trato y No Discriminación protects against discrimination on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, social origin. Law 4/2023 trans and LGTBI equality. Reporting: Inspección de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (ITSS), or via demand at Juzgado de lo Social within 1 year. Damages: indemnización + pain & suffering. Companies 50+ must have an Igualdad plan.
Contract red flags
- !Cláusula de no competencia post-contractual without economic compensation (min 50–75% of salary during the no-compete period) — void under ET art. 21.
- !Contrato en prácticas (internship) at sub-minimum wage beyond statutory limits (60%/75% of SMI first/second year) — unlawful.
- !Falso autónomo: "freelance" arrangement that is functionally employment. Triggers back-payments of Seguridad Social + recognition of indefinite contract. Major risk in delivery, tech, consultancy.
- !Salary below SMI 2026 (€1,221 × 14 pagas = €17,094/year gross, or approximately €1,424.50/month if spread across 12 payments) — illegal.
- !Contract in a language you don't understand without Spanish translation — legal version in Spanish prevails.
- !Renuncia de derechos clauses waiving vacation/overtime/severance in advance — void under ET art. 3.5.
- !Probation longer than legal maximum — reduced to legal limit automatically, not void entirely.
- !Contrato temporal without valid causal reason (post-reforma 2022 RDL 32/2021): strict limits — only "por circunstancias de la producción" (max 6 months + 6 extension) or "de sustitución". Chaining of temps triggers conversion to indefinido after 18 months in 24.
Employment Rights
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