Latvia (LV)
Latvia is a parliamentary republic and EU member state on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Estonia, Lithuania, Russia, and Belarus.
Employment Rights
Sick leave, dismissal protection and red flags in Latvia.
Latvian employment law is governed by the Labour Law (Darba likums), which provides substantial protections for employees. Latvia is an EU member state — EU employment directives are fully implemented. The minimum wage (minimālā darba alga) is €780/month from 1 January 2026. The State Labour Inspectorate (Valsts darba inspekcija — VDI at vdi.gov.lv) enforces labour law and handles complaints. Employees have rights to minimum wage, notice periods, severance in certain cases, and protection from unlawful dismissal. Collective bargaining is less prevalent than in Scandinavian countries but growing.
Sick leave
Rules: Sick leave (darba nespēja) must be documented with a sick leave certificate (darba nespējas lapa) from a doctor. You should notify your employer on the first day of illness (or as soon as reasonably possible). The sick leave certificate can be submitted electronically via the e-veseliba portal. You are entitled to sick leave for up to 26 weeks per illness episode.
Doctor note: From day 1 of illness — you need a medical certificate from your family doctor or any treating doctor. Electronic sick notes are standard in Latvia via the e-veseliba system.
Employer pay: First 2 days of sick leave: employer pays 75% of the employee's average gross salary. Days 3–10: employer pays 80% of average gross salary. From day 11: VSAA (State Social Insurance Agency) pays 80% of the employee's average insured earnings.
Long-term: For extended illness beyond 26 weeks: disability benefit (invaliditātes pabalsts) may apply, administered by VSAA. Long-term sick leave requires periodic medical reviews.
Dismissal protection
Law: Latvia's Labour Law provides protection against arbitrary dismissal. Lawful grounds for dismissal include: employee's initiative (resignation), liquidation of employer, staff redundancy (likvidācija, samazināšana), gross misconduct (rupjš pārkāpums), or other legally specified grounds. Employers cannot dismiss employees without valid legal grounds.
Deadline to sue: Employees must challenge an unlawful dismissal within 1 month of receiving the dismissal notice. Claims are filed with the Labour Dispute Commission (Darba strīdu komisija) or directly to a court.
Probation
Trial period (pārbaudes laiks): maximum 3 months for general employees; maximum 6 months for supervisory positions. The trial period must be specified in the written employment contract. During the trial period, either party may terminate the contract with 3 business days' written notice. After successful completion of the trial period, standard dismissal protections apply.
Notice periods
Employee notice: 1 month (or as specified in contract, minimum 10 working days). Employer notice for dismissal: minimum 1 month for employment under 5 years; 2 months for 5–10 years; 3 months for 10+ years. During trial period: 3 business days from either party. Employer may pay salary in lieu of notice.
Working time
Max hours: Standard working time: 40 hours/week (8 hours/day). Maximum with overtime: 56 hours/week (averaged over a 4-month period). Night work: maximum 8 hours per night shift.
Min rest: Minimum rest between shifts: 12 consecutive hours. Weekly rest: minimum 42 consecutive hours (typically Saturday + Sunday). Daily break: at least 30 minutes after 6 hours of continuous work.
Overtime: Overtime must be agreed in writing (or via collective agreement). Compensation: minimum 100% of regular pay rate (double pay), or compensatory time off. Maximum overtime: regulated to not exceed 144 hours in a 4-month reference period.
Vacation
Annual paid leave: minimum 4 calendar weeks (20 working days) per year by law. Many employment contracts provide 28 days or more. The vacation year runs from the calendar year. Unused vacation can be carried over (maximum 1 additional year). Vacation pay is calculated based on average daily earnings. Leave must be provided within the calendar year — employers cannot systematically deny leave entitlement. Special categories: additional paid leave for employees with disabilities, public hazard work, teachers, etc.
Anti-discrimination
Latvia's Labour Law and the Equal Treatment Law (Vienlīdzīgas attieksmes likums) prohibit discrimination in employment based on: sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, and political opinion. The Ombudsman of Latvia (tiesibsargs.lv) handles discrimination complaints. EU anti-discrimination directives are fully implemented.
Contract red flags
- !No written employment contract — oral contracts are legally valid but very hard to enforce; always insist on a written contract.
- !Vague or absent probation period terms — if not specified in writing, no probation period applies.
- !"Envelope salary" (aplokšņu alga) — receiving part of salary in cash off the record is illegal and means you receive less state pension, lower sick pay, and potentially illegal work conditions. Decline and report to VDI.
- !Absence of specific duties description — overly vague job descriptions allow employers to change your role arbitrarily.
- !No severance clause for redundancy — ensure the contract aligns with Labour Law minimums.
- !Waiver of overtime pay — overtime waiver clauses may be unenforceable but signals employer intent to exploit.
- !Excessive non-compete clauses — very broad non-competes may not be enforceable under Latvian law (reasonable geographic and time limits apply).
- !No sick pay provision — even if the contract doesn't mention it, statutory sick pay applies; the omission is suspicious.
Employment Rights
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