Overview
Payroll Cycle
Employer Contributions
Employee Contributions
Minimum Wage
Hiring
Hiring Employees
Hiring Contractors
Hiring Expats
Background Checks
Employment Contracts
Onboarding
Employee Benefits
Social Security
Healthcare and Insurance
Leave Policy
Public Holidays
Work Permit and Work Visa
Probation Period
Notice Period
Termination and Severance
Personal Income Tax
Employer of Record in Greece: A Comprehensive Overview of Payroll Cycle, Contributions, Minimum Wage, Hiring Practices, Background Checks, Employment Contracts, Employee Benefits, Social Security, Healthcare, Leave Policy, Public Holidays, Work Permits, Probation and Notice Periods, Termination and Severance, and Personal Income Tax.
| Overview | |
| Continent | Europe |
| Country | Greece |
| Capital | Athens |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 (EET) |
| Total Time zones | 1 |
| Working hours per week | 40 |
| Working week | Monday–Friday |
| Typical hours worked | 8 |
| Personal Tax filing deadline | 30 June of the following year |
| Financial Year | 1st January to 31st December |
| Date format | dd/mm/yyyy |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) |
| VAT | the standard rate is 24% |
Employer Payroll Contributions in Greece
| Employers | % of Gross Salary |
| Pension Fund | 13.33% |
| Health Care | 4.3% |
| Health in Benefit | 0.25% |
| Supplementary Insurance | 3.25% |
| Additional Contributions | 1.41% |
| Total Employment Cost | 22.54% |
Employee Payroll Contributions in Greece
| Employees | % of Gross Salary |
| Pension Fund | 6.67% |
| Health Care | 2.15% |
| Health in Benefit | 0.4% |
| Supplementary Insurance | 3.25% |
| Additional Contributions | 1.65% |
| Total Employee Cost | 14.12% |
Minimum Wages in Greece
| Minimum Wage | |
| Minimum Wage | 650 EUR per month and 29.04 EUR per day. 663 euros from January 2022. |
Payroll Cycle in Greece
| Payroll | |
| Payroll Cycle | Monthly |
| 13th Salary | Employees are entitled to 13th and 14th salaries. |
Personal Income Tax in Greece
| Income Tax | |
| 0 - 10000 EUR | 9% |
| 10001 - 20000 EUR | 22% |
| 20001 - 30000 EUR | 28% |
| 30001 - 40000 EUR | 36% |
| Over 40001 EUR | 44% |
Worker Categories and Entitlement to Employment Rights in the Law
The law in Egypt recognizes two main categories of workers: employees and workers. The classification is determined based on the nature and type of services provided. Workers are individuals who primarily perform physical tasks, while employees are those who predominantly utilize intellectual skills. However, there are certain circumstances where the law designates an employee classification.
Specifically, employees who hold managerial positions and carry out supervisory functions that significantly impact the operations and progress of the entire undertaking or a significant division of it are classified as managerial employees.
When it comes to entitlements to statutory employment rights, the distinction between employees and workers mainly affects contract termination. Notably, there is no requirement for a prior notice period when terminating a worker's contract. On the other hand, employees enjoy higher severance indemnity rights compared to workers. For managerial employees, their unique position within the undertaking exempts them from certain labor provisions such as restrictions on working hours, Sunday work, and night shifts.
For further information on severance indemnity and related matters, please refer to Question 19.
To what extent do temporary and agency workers receive the same rights and benefits as permanent employees? How are the rights and benefits of part-time workers compared to those of full-time workers?
Temporary Workers
Fixed-term contracts can be established or extended when there is a legitimate reason, such as temporarily replacing a salaried employee or fulfilling temporary duties. It is essential to treat fixed-term employees equally to permanent employees. However, if there is no legitimate reason, and the employee covers the employer's ongoing needs, the contract becomes open-ended if the total duration of consecutive contracts or fixed-term employment relationships exceeds three years, or if there have been more than three renewals within three years. Consecutive contracts refer to agreements between the same employer and employee, with similar working terms, and with no more than 45 days between them, including non-working days. The term "same employer" includes all group companies. Terminating a fixed-term contract before its expiration date requires a significant reason.
Agency Workers
Temporary employees working for an indirect employer have a maximum employment period of 36 months. If this time limit is surpassed, the employee's contract becomes open-ended with the indirect employer. This also applies when a salaried employee continues working for an indirect employer beyond the initial assignment's expiry date and any legal renewals, even with a new assignment, without a 23-calendar-day interval (Article 117, Law 4052/2012). Furthermore, when temporary employees are assigned to an indirect employer, the basic working conditions must meet the minimum requirements that would apply if the employer had directly recruited employees for the same position.
Part-Time Workers
Part-time employment can be established based on a written agreement between the parties. Part-time employees must receive equal treatment compared to comparable full-time employees. In cases of reduced business activity, employers can unilaterally implement short-time working (full-time employment with fewer working days) for up to nine months per year, subject to strict conditions.
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