The labor reform bill has been put to public consultation until Friday, September 19 by the Ministry of Labor and consists of 8 axes. Its goal is to modernize the labor framework, simplify procedures, reduce bureaucracy, support workers by strengthening their rights, enhance their job security, facilitate businesses, and create a transparent and modern work environment.
The Ministry of Labor issued a clarifying note regarding the labor bill which it brought to public consultation today concerning individual labor law.
In its formulation, numerous improvement proposals from workers, businesses and all national social partners were taken into account, with whom a productive round of extensive dialogue had previously taken place, during which relevant views and observations were recorded.
Labor reform bill: What it provides – Useful Q&A
1. In simple terms, what does the new labor bill provide?
The new bill comes from the labor market, as many of its regulations were proposed by workers and businesses and solves practical issues that exist in the labor market. In summary:
– Simplifies procedures (eliminates forms, speeds up and facilitates hiring for everyone), reducing bureaucracy.
– Introduces regulations that strengthen workers.
– Enhances Labor Inspectorate controls to ensure more faithful compliance with labor legislation.
2. How does the bill support workers in their daily lives?
It provides indicatively:
– Greater freedoms for workers in organizing work time, e.g., the ability for a working parent to work 4 days a week and be with their child on the 5th day for the whole year, not just for six months as applies today
– Greater freedom in requests employees can submit for distribution of annual vacation leave
– More women to be beneficiaries of maternity and childbirth allowances
– Parental leave allowance to be tax-free, non-transferable and unseizable
– Many regulations for further protection of health and safety at work (e.g., mandatory presence of health and safety coordinators in technical projects, depending on their size, for prevention of workplace accidents)
– The ability to work in shift work – if desired – overtime with wages increased by 40% (e.g., in 4-day weekly work)
– The ability to work up to 13 hours per day (exceptionally) – if desired – for one employer with a 40% wage increase
– Training in first aid lessons (CPR, Heimlich)
– Extension of maternity leave to adoptive mothers
– Explicit prohibition of wage reduction after implementation of the digital work card.
3. How does the bill facilitate businesses?
It provides:
– Major simplification of the hiring process
– Fast-track fixed-term hires for up to 2 days for urgent needs
– Elimination of many forms whose information is already submitted to the ERGANI II Information System
– Further exemption from surcharges on social security contributions for overtime, night work and holidays
– Special application for employers (myErgani type)
– Merger of violence and harassment policies.
4. Does the new bill abolish the 8-hour workday and establish 13-hour daily employment?
No. The eight-hour daily employment is an established right and remains in full force. In every European country, including ours, there is the possibility for overtime employment after agreement between employee and business and under specific conditions. Today, an employee has the ability to work exceptionally up to 13 hours daily for two or more employers. With the bill, the possibility of 13-hour employment extends to employees who work for one employer, provided that rest limits and maximum weekly working hours are faithfully observed, as well as payment of legal overtime surcharges (plus 40%). Moreover, with the new regulation the employee benefits salary-wise. Example: an employee who works for two employers and is paid 8 euros per hour, if employed 13 hours for two employers, will be paid a daily wage of 104 euros. If employed for the corresponding hours for only one employer, they will receive 119 euros.
5. Can an employer force an employee to work 13 hours daily?
No. For an employee to work overtime (i.e., the 10th to 13th hour in a day) requires their consent. The employee is explicitly protected from dismissal if they refuse to work overtime.
6. Can the employer refuse to pay overtime if the employee works beyond their scheduled hours?
No, they cannot. Anyone who works overtime is entitled to wages equal to the paid hourly wage increased by 40%. This is ensured by the Digital Work Card implementation, as if overtime is not declared, the additional work hour is considered illegal and a 120% surcharge is owed.
7. Can an employee work 13 hours daily all year?
No, the maximum work time is 48 hours weekly in a 4-month reference period, and the maximum overtime limit is 150 hours annually. Therefore, an employee can work 13 hours daily up to a total of 37.5 days per year.
8. Can an employer dismiss an employee by simply sending a written message (SMS)?
No. There is no such provision in the bill. Nothing changes in the existing institutional framework regarding dismissals.
9. What changes in annual vacation leave? Will the employer be able to refuse granting it whenever the employee wishes to take it?
Until today, by law, leave had to be taken by the employee indivisibly, in one period, while upon employee request it was possible to fragment the leave time, however 2 weeks had to be taken consecutively. With the new bill, employees are given the opportunity to request distribution of their leave over more time periods if they wish. For example, they will be able to take their annual leave in segments over 4 different periods within the same year if they desire such a thing. The time period for taking leave is chosen in consultation with the employer.
10. I work in shift work, 4 days a week. Why can’t I work overtime if I want to?
With the new regulation, shift workers will have the right to work beyond their eight hours, receiving the corresponding 40% surcharge for each overtime hour, if they wish. For example, someone who works in a restaurant that operates Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be able to supplement their income with overtime work if they desire.
11. Does the employer have the right to reduce wages citing the inclusion of their professional sector in the Digital Work Card?
No. With the bill, wage reduction immediately after implementation of the Digital Work Card is considered a unilateral harmful change and is prohibited.
12. Is Greece the only country that explicitly allows the 13th hour of daily employment?
No, Greece is not the only country that allows daily employment up to 13 hours. Based on European legislation, the possibility for a 13th hour of daily employment exists, provided that the 11-hour daily rest and 48-hour weekly employment in a 4-month reference period are strictly observed. According to official data, of the 27 EU member states, over 10 countries recognize directly or indirectly the possibility of 13-hour daily overtime work.
13. Why can an employee work 4 days a week for only six months? For the remaining six months, what will they do? How will they cover the need that led them to this choice?
Until today, the possibility of 4-day work (10 hours per day), in consultation with the employer, applies for six months. With the new bill, this possibility is given for the entire year. Every employee, without restriction, for example a parent with a minor child, will be able to work on a 4-day basis throughout the year, after consultation with the employer.
14. I am a working mother who worked for 2 different employers and was insured in two different funds. Despite completing 200 stamps, I did not receive maternity and childbirth allowances.
With a regulation brought by the new bill, this specific distortion is corrected and henceforth a mother will receive maternity and childbirth allowances having completed 200 stamps, regardless of the number of funds she has been insured with and employers by whom she has been employed. Additionally, parental leave allowance is secured as tax-free, non-transferable and unseizable, while the granting of the post-birth portion of maternity leave is extended to adoptive mothers.
15. I am a working pensioner and with the increase in income from my salaried work I risk having the Pensioners’ Solidarity Contribution imposed on me.
The new bill includes a provision so that when a working pensioner is entitled to an increase in their pension from their work, the additional benefit does not lead to an increase in the Pensioners’ Solidarity Contribution rate.
16. With the recent exemption of surcharges from contributions on overtime, are the revenues of the funds not at risk and consequently the adequacy of the country’s insurance system?
As evidenced by the data, exactly the opposite happens. In the first quarter of implementation, insurance fund revenues increased by 32% from overtime contributions and by 38% from night work and holidays compared to the corresponding quarter of 2024, because many more businesses declared overtime and night employment, holidays and overwork. Correspondingly, during the same time period, workers’ wages increased by 46% from overtime and by 32% from night work and holidays. Specifically in May 2025, insurance fund revenues showed an increase of 38% from overtime contributions and 55% from night work and holidays compared to May 2024, while workers’ revenues increased by 55% from overtime and by 32% from night work and holidays.
17. Don’t the changes you make at the individual labor law level undermine future discussions for concluding collective labor agreements?
They are two different things. Alongside the reforms being made to individual labor law (i.e., the present bill), discussions are being conducted on collective labor law focusing on encouraging the conclusion of collective labor agreements. Proof of the above are the favorable changes the new bill brings in favor of workers and simultaneously the increase in signing new Collective Labor Agreements that has been taking place recently (signing of hotel employees’ CLA, bank employees, signing of CLA for metal industry workers for the first time after 12 years, etc.) with terms more favorable than individual labor law (for example, the lowest wage is higher than the minimum wage).
