Greek employment law sets specific requirements for hiring, terms of employment, dismissals and employment relations. Notice periods and severance are linked to length of service and other statutory factors, while the validity of a termination can depend both on there being a lawful ground and on the prescribed procedures being followed. At the same time, collective labour agreements and other rules governing particular categories of employee can affect the terms of the employment relationship. For businesses applying policies or template contracts in Greece that were designed for other jurisdictions, adapting them to the Greek framework matters a great deal. The same is true of non-compete clauses, restrictive covenants and practices around an employee's departure. The legal assessment has to be made before the decision is taken, so that the business knows from the outset what room it has and what risk it carries.
Remote and hybrid working add a further layer of requirements. Monitoring employees through email, IT systems, location data or access control systems has to be assessed under data protection law and the principle of proportionality. Particularly where that data may be used in an employment dispute, it matters that the proper legal planning and documentation came first. A monitoring policy that would be unremarkable in other jurisdictions can amount to unlawful processing in Greece if it has not been defined and documented properly.
"Many of the employment issues that turn into disputes are created long before the decision that is finally challenged — a warning nobody wrote down, a contract never adapted to Greek law, or a contractor who in practice worked as an employee." Most disputes that reach an employment lawyer in Athens were created months earlier by an undocumented decision.
We advise employers from the point of view of a General Counsel who has managed employment issues and the HR function in practice. That means we look not only at whether a decision is legally permissible, but at how it can be implemented in the business, what the real risk is and what documentation is required. We support employers ahead of critical decisions — from drawing up and revising contracts and staff policies through to dismissals, restructurings and employment disputes. Where employment law meets data protection, commercial or corporate law, we draw on the firm's experience in those areas. Talk to us before the decision, not after the dispute.
Ending the Employment Relationship
The validity of a dismissal turns on the procedure too
Notice periods and severance are calculated under specific statutory rules, and compliance with the prescribed procedural requirements is critical to the validity of the termination.
Collective agreements
Collective agreements affect the terms of employment
Sectoral and occupational collective labour agreements can set minimum terms of employment for particular categories of employee, depending on their scope. For that reason, before drawing up or amending individual contracts, we examine which collective arrangements apply to your business.
Data and monitoring
Employee monitoring and the GDPR
Monitoring employees' email, location and activity is not simply an HR matter. It calls for an assessment under the GDPR and the principle of proportionality, with a clear purpose, clear limits and proper documentation.
Cross-border workforce
Cross-border employment and foreign workers
Secondments, remuneration packages for foreign staff and expatriate contracts can raise issues that go beyond Greek employment law.