The reformation of the employment law in Greece
The Greek government is in the process of reforming its employment legislation. To this direction, a draft law has been presented which involves very important amendments. The scope of the present is to present these. As soon as the new law is ratified, an update shall be provided to the present.
Arranging working time
The employee may work up to 2 additional hours per day – beyond 8 hours. The extra working time will be set off with a day off, leave or part-time work. This arrangement shall be subject to an agreement of the employer with the trade unions or to an individual agreement between the employee and the employer. The employee shall have the right to refuse without any sanctions.
Overtime
The number of legal overtime that the employee can do in one year shall be increased to 150 hours.
Digital card
The digital employment card is introduced, by which the employee’s working time and the employee’s leave can be monitored in real time. In the first phase, the digital employment card will be applied in banks and industry.
Work on Sunday
The list of the companies that can operate on Sundays is expanded. Such as companies producing – storing – transporting – distributing medicines and para-medical materials, logistics services, “shared services centers” of business groups, data centers and generally computer centers of groups business, digitization services of paper archives, provision of call center services and customer technical support, production of ready-mixed concrete.
Redundancies
The employer shall be given the opportunity to request the non-show of the employee at the workplace in cases of dismissal after a notice or until the removal process is completed. It is also possible to provide additional compensation to employees who have been legally entitled to illegal dismissal, while relieving the employer of the obligation to re-employ the employee.
The list of invalid reasons for dismissal is expanded. For example, a father cannot be fired in the first six months after the birth of his child. The dismissal of a remote/tele – working employee who will claim the right of disconnection will also be considered invalid.
Teleworking
The right of the employee to disconnect is established after the working hours, while there will be an obligation of the employer to cover the costs for the equipment.
Trade unions & strike
The General Register of Trade Unions is established. The registration of the organizations in the latter shall be a precondition for acquiring legal personality and for exercising the rights of collective bargaining and the declaration of a strike. It will be possible to vote in absentia to declare strikes, while it shall be prohibited to obstruct workers who wish to work during a strike. Minimum guaranteed staff must be provided during a strike to companies whose operation is vital to the society.
Leaves
A 14-day paid paternity leave is introduced. The new father is protected against dismissal for 6 months from the birth of the child.
Parental leave for a period of four months – with a subsidy from OAED for the two months.
Caregiver paid leave up to 5 days per year.
The right to leave due to force majeure for urgent family matters is established twice a year (one day at a time).
Flexible forms of work are introduced such as teleworking, flexible hours or part-time work for parents of children up to 12 years old.
Measures against violence at work
Protection of employees who have been victims of violence but also of volunteers and even job seekers.
Mandatory codes of conduct and internal complaint management policies must be established, thus ensuring the protection of victims.
Prohibition of termination or termination of the contract of employees who report incidents of violence or harassment. Such employees will have the right to leave the workplace for a period of time – paid – if there is a risk to their health and safety due to violence or harassment.