Security Alert
Law 5239/2025 titled “Fair work for all: simplifying legislation – supporting employees – ensuring protection in practice” aims to reduce bureaucracy, modernise labour relations, enhance employee protection and reinforce health and safety at the workplace. The key provisions of the new Law are summarised in our Newsletter.
Abolition of requirement to submit employment contracts to ERGANI
The obligation of employers to submit to ERGANI scanned copies of employment contracts, which had been introduced by previous legislation but never applied in practice, is explicitly repealed.
In addition, the new Law abolishes the long-standing requirement to upload scanned copies of part-time employment contracts to ERGANI.
Abolition of hard copy record keeping and annual submissions to ERGANI
The Law abolishes the obligation to maintain at the workplace hard copies of the E4 annual personnel table, working time schedules, the Book of Annual Leave, employment contracts/notifications of main employment terms and payslips.
Furthermore, as from 2026, employers are no longer required to submit the E4 annual personnel table and the E11 annual leave form. It is clarified that the obligation to submit the E11 form still applies with regard to the 2025 annual leave, which will also need to be recorded in the Book of Annual Leave.
Notification of key employment terms through “MyErgani”
Employers may now notify employees of the key employment terms or any amendments thereof through the “MyErgani” mobile app, in addition to the existing options of hard-copy or electronic notification. The above notifications must be accepted by employees in one of the following manners:
Via wet-ink signature, or
Via Qualified Electronic Signature (QES), or
Through the issuance of a digital certificate (gov.gr), or
By indicating their acceptance in the “MyErgani” mobile app.
In addition, a new smartphone application (“Ergani”) is being developed to enable employers to access and use the ERGANI system through their mobile devices.
Fast track hiring for urgent needs
The Law introduces a new “fast-track” hiring process for employers who wish to hire fixed-term employees (full time or part time) for up to 2 days per week. Under the new process that will be activated following an update of the ERGANI platform, the terms of employment will be transmitted electronically to the employee through the “MyErgani” mobile app and will need to be accepted by the employee in the same manner before the commencement of work.
Working time arrangements
The legal framework on working time arrangements is reformed to allow employers and employees to enter into such agreements over a reference period ranging from 1 week to 1 year (previously only allowed for a reference period of 6 or 12 months).
Increase of daily overtime limit
The daily limit of lawful overtime is increased to 4 hours from 3. Employees may refuse to perform overtime in good faith and cannot be terminated or be subject to unfavourable treatment on such grounds. Part-time employees working under a rotational system are also permitted to provide lawful overtime beyond their daily working hours within the above limits.
Splitting of annual leave
The framework on splitting of annual leave is significantly reformed to allow for more flexibility. Under the new rules, the employers’ option to split the annual leave in 2 parts is abolished, while the employees’ right to request the splitting of their annual leave becomes more flexible as it now provides that one part thereof must be at least 5 (previously 10) working days.
Unjustified absence as tacit resignation
Unjustified absence from work for more than 3 (as opposed to 5 under the previous framework) consecutive working days may be considered as tacit resignation, provided that 2 (previously 5) additional working days have lapsed from the employer’s notice to the employee. In such case, the employer is obliged, within 2 additional working days, to report the employee’s resignation to ERGANI, without requiring the employee’s signature on the resignation form.
Furthermore, employees will now be able to submit their resignation to ERGANI unilaterally, in which case the employer will receive an automatic notification. This option will be activated following an update of the ERGANI platform.
Extension of maternity rights to foster care
The post-childbirth maternity leave entitlement (9 weeks) is extended to foster mothers of children up to 8 years old.
Additionally, protection from dismissal now covers also female employees who adopt a child up to 8 years old (increased from 6 under the previous framework) and is extended also to employees who become foster mothers of a child up to 8 years of age.
Digital Work Card
The new Law codifies practical details regarding the implementation of the Digital Work Card system. These include the option to agree to a flexible arrival of up to 120 minutes, the introduction of a grace period of 10 or 30 minutes for preparation before and after work, which does not constitute working time, and the allowance of up to 3 single scans of the Digital Card per employee per month, due to negligence, without triggering an inspection by the authorities.
Occupational Health & Safety (OHS)
The role of Health & Safety Committees and Protection and Prevention Services is enhanced, while a new integrated digital OHS IT System interoperable with ERGANI and other national databases is established. Recommendations of the occupational physician and the safety technician must be provided to the employers in writing and recorded in a special register, which must now be kept electronically.
Employers, amongst other obligations, are now expressly required to:
inform the safety technician and occupational physician of any planned changes in the production process or organisational structure of the undertaking affecting OHS;
report to the Labour Inspectorate and e-EFKA any work-related illness within the prescribed timeframe; and
provide CPR and Heimlich manoeuvre trainings to employees, under the specified conditions set out in the Law (applicable as from 2026)
Furthermore, the notification process in case of labour accidents is reformed to require notice to the police department only in case of serious injury or death, while the requirement to notify all labour accidents to the Labour Inspectorate and e-EFKA within 24 hours is maintained.
Exemption of extra work premiums from social security contributions
Overwork, overtime, night work, Sunday and holiday pay premiums, whether statutory or any higher premium set by Collective Labour Agreements or paid voluntarily by employers, are exempt from social security contributions as from 1 November 2025.
How we can help
For guidance on implementing the reforms under Law 5239/2025 or for further information, please contact our Employment & Labour team.