Greece (GR)
Greece is a southeastern European republic and EU member state, birthplace of democracy, philosophy, and the Olympic Games, celebrated for its 6,000 sun-drenched islands, ancient ruins from the Acropolis to Delphi, vibrant Mediterranean cuisine, and a warm culture that draws expats, retirees, digital nomads, and Golden Visa investors from across the world.
Employment Rights
Sick leave, dismissal protection and red flags in Greece.
Greek employment law is governed primarily by Law 4808/2021 (on the protection of labour) and Law 3850/2010, implementing EU directives including the Fair Work Directive. Key protections include minimum wage (€880/month until 31 March 2026; €920/month from 1 April 2026), mandatory 14 monthly payments (12 + Christmas + Easter bonuses), 20+ days annual leave, and ERGANI registration of all employment contracts. SEPE (Σώμα Επιθεώρησης Εργασίας — Labour Inspectorate) enforces employment rights and can be called anonymously to report violations.
Sick leave
Rules: Employees who are sick must notify the employer immediately (on the day of absence) and provide a medical certificate (Ιατρική Γνωμάτευση). For absences of 1–3 days, a local GP certificate suffices. For absences of 4+ days, an EFKA/IKA sick leave certificate is required. The doctor submits the sick leave certificate electronically to EFKA (e-Βεβαίωση Ανικανότητας).
Doctor note: Day 1 of illness — notify employer immediately; certificate required from the first day in most cases.
Employer pay: Days 1–3: employer pays 100% (if the employee has been employed for more than 10 days). Days 4–15: employer pays half wage (50%). Day 4 onward: EFKA begins paying sickness allowance (Επίδομα Ασθένειας) of 50% of the employee's insured earnings, payable from day 4 of incapacity.
Long-term: Extended sickness (beyond 3 days): EFKA sickness allowance continues for up to 182 days per calendar year (or 360 days for TB/cancer/serious illness categories). After 182 days, disability assessment may be triggered. Special rules apply for occupational diseases and work accidents (higher compensation via EFKA).
Dismissal protection
Law: Law 3198/1955 and Law 4808/2021 protect employees from unfair dismissal after the probationary period. Dismissal must be in writing (Καταγγελία Σύμβασης Εργασίας). The written notice must state the reason. Discriminatory dismissal (on grounds of pregnancy, union membership, disability, religion, nationality, etc.) is prohibited. Dismissed employees must be reported to ERGANI within 4 days.
Deadline to sue: Dismissal challenge: 3 months from the date of written dismissal to file a claim at the Labour Court (Μονομελές Πρωτοδικείο or Ειρηνοδικείο). Missing this deadline makes it very difficult to challenge the dismissal. Contact an employment lawyer (δικηγόρος εργατολόγος) immediately if you believe the dismissal was unlawful.
Probation
Statutory probationary period: 12 months for indefinite employment contracts (under Law 4808/2021). During probation, either party can terminate without notice and without compensation. After 12 months, full dismissal protections apply. Many employers specify a shorter probationary period (1–3 months) in the individual contract — the contractual period prevails if shorter than the statutory maximum. Probationary periods for fixed-term contracts: may not exceed a quarter of the contract duration.
Notice periods
0–12 months: no notice required (probationary period). 12 months – 2 years: 1 month. 2–5 years: 2 months. 5–10 years: 3 months. 10+ years: 4 months. These notice periods must be paid or worked. In lieu of notice: full payment of the notice period wages. Redundancy compensation (Αποζημίωση Απόλυσης): paid on top of notice pay and is calculated based on years of service (approximately 1 month per 2 years of service, subject to caps for higher earners).
Working time
Max hours: 40 hours per week (8 hours per day) for the standard working week. Some sectors operate on a 5-day week (8h/day); others on a 6-day week (6.6h/day). Since 2022, a 6-day working week is permitted in specific continuous-operation sectors — this is controversial and subject to EU scrutiny.
Min rest: 11 consecutive hours rest between working days. Weekly rest period: minimum 35 consecutive hours (typically Sunday). Shift workers have specific additional protections.
Overtime: Overtime (υπερωρία) beyond 40 hours requires compensation at 120% of the standard hourly rate (first 8 hours of overtime); 140% for further overtime. Overtime over 150 hours/year requires special authorisation from SEPE. All overtime must be reported to ERGANI. Systematic non-payment of overtime is a common violation — report to SEPE (sepe.gov.gr) if underpaid.
Vacation
Minimum annual leave: 20 working days (4 weeks) after completing 1 year of service. Entitlement accrues from year 1: in the first calendar year, 12 months' service gives 20 days; pro-rated for partial years. After 10 years with the same employer (or 25 years total career): 25 working days. After 25 years total: some CBAs provide 26–30 days. Summer leave: employers must allow at least 12 consecutive working days of summer leave if the employee requests it. Unused leave can be carried forward only with mutual agreement; monetary compensation in lieu of leave is only permitted on termination.
Anti-discrimination
Law 4443/2016 (implementing EU Equal Treatment Directives) prohibits discrimination on grounds of nationality, race, ethnicity, religion, disability, age, and sexual orientation in employment. Equal pay for equal work (including gender pay equality) is mandated. Harassment in the workplace is specifically prohibited under Law 4808/2021. Complaints can be filed with SEPE or the Ombudsman (Συνήγορος του Πολίτη).
Contract red flags
- !Employment without a written contract — employers must register the contract with ERGANI before start date. Demand a registered copy of your ERGANI contract.
- !Payment partly or wholly in cash "off the books" (μαύρη εργασία) — this deprives you of social insurance, pension contributions, and employment protections.
- !Being asked to sign a blank or undated dismissal letter as a condition of employment.
- !Contract stating you are "self-employed" or working on "project contract" (σύμβαση έργου) when the working relationship is clearly an employment one — common misclassification to avoid labour protections.
- !No EFKA/AMKA registration — employer must register you with EFKA from day 1.
- !No overtime pay — systematic refusal to compensate overtime is an enforceable violation reportable to SEPE.
- !Six-day week clauses in non-exempt sectors — check if your sector is covered by the new legislation.
- !Unpaid trial or training periods longer than a few days.
- !Salary below the statutory minimum wage — €920/month (€41.09/day) from 1 April 2026; plus Christmas bonus (1 month salary by December 21), Easter bonus (half month by Holy Wednesday), and summer leave allowance (half month by August 1) — these mandatory extra payments (δώρα) cannot be waived.
- !Contract omitting the 14-salary structure (12 monthly + Christmas + Easter bonuses) — these are mandatory in Greece regardless of the written contract; any attempt to include them in the basic monthly salary without explicit top-up calculation is likely a violation.
- !ERGANI registration not confirmed in writing — always demand a copy of the ERGANI confirmation with your AMKA number after your contract is registered.
- !Excessive non-compete clause (ρήτρα μη ανταγωνισμού) without compensation — Greek courts require financial compensation for post-employment non-competes to be enforceable.
Employment Rights
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