Staff - Greece

Updated 12/2011

Legal requirements

The issues concerning the staff of a business are addressed by the labour legislation, the regulations on health and safety at work and collective employment agreements.

Ministry of Labour and Social Security - Legislation

Employment conditions are regulated under specific legislation:

Law on annual leave, holiday allowance, sick leave, and earnings [39 KB]
Laws on compensation/ terminations
Law on group dismissals

National General Collective Labour Agreements establish a mandatory minimum salary - wage to supplement general working conditions regulated under the relevant legislation. The relevant legislation is the following:

Fixed-term contracts
Labour Inspectorate
Employment of minors
Employee representation

Employment contracts

Working conditions are established under the Collective Labour Agreements established in writing between employee trade unions and employers (or employer). Arbitration decisions are also emulated through Collective Labour Agreements.

Collective Labour Agreements are classified as:

general national, industry, business, national agreements for similar professions and
local national agreements.

The main types of employment contracts include contracts undertaken for an "indefinite period of time" and "fixed contracts".

"Indefinite" contracts state the date and year of entry into the contract with no information regarding its end, in other words, its expiry date is unknown to both parties.

The exact duration of the contract is stated on "fixed" contracts. For contracts or employment relations of a duration exceeding one month, the employer is obliged to notify the employee of the essential terms of the contract.

Following the enactment of Article 13 of Act 3899/17-12-2010 "Urgent measures to implement a program to support the Greek economy", new, special arrangements are in force as far as Special Collective Bargaining Agreements are concerned.

Employing foreigners

Special rules apply when an employee moves to another EU member state to provide a service.

Legislation on the relocation of employees with regard to the provision of services

As far as foreigners (excluding those coming from EU countries) are concerned, a relevant work permit should exist, issued for up to a year by the Ministry of Labour, in the case that a foreigner will by employed in more than one prefectures or by the Prefect when they are only to be employed in one single prefecture. A residence permit should also be issued.

Every foreigner is, at the employer's responsibility, required to visit the competent Health Directorate of the Prefecture, in order to take the necessary blood tests. The foreigner in question will then have to present themselves to the competent police department, within one month, and together with their employer, in order for registration to be carried out.

There are minimum social rules to follow, especially about non-discrimination, gender equality and health and safety.

Staff welfare — Greece

Administrative procedures

Companies with more than 79 employees (regardless of the company's legal form) must compile a labour regulation. This document defines the relationships between the business owner and staff and between employees.

Work regulation model

The document must be approved by the Director of the Social Labour Inspectorate of the region where the company's headquarters are based.

Starting and ending employment

For each employee recruited, you must submit a statement of employment and an employment registration card to the branch of the Greek Manpower Employment Organisation (OAED) where your company is based.

Greek Manpower Employment Organisation
OAED forms

The employer is then required to submit a record of staff and working hours to the local offices of the Labour Inspectorate of each prefecture.

Directory of Prefectural Administrations

Social insurance contributions

The employer is required to register the employees at their social insurance organisation, which is generally the local Social Insurance Institute (ΙΚΑ).

Legal framework on social insurance
Social Insurance Institute (IKA) Guide to Employers

Wage contribution returns

The relevant forms are available at the below website:

Declaration forms of contributions on wages

Work permits for foreign workers

In the case of foreigners (apart from those coming from EU countries), applications for a work permit from the Ministry of Labour are available at the website below:

Application for a work permit for foreigners

Resources

EURES, the European job portal, offers employers information and support on recruiting across the EU. As well as assisting jobseekers, it helps entrepreneurs find workers from across the EU. In border regions, EURES provides information on cross-border commuting and helps workers and employers with problems that may arise.

Check also the legislation on this topic in:

Staff - Greece