Employment in Greece is governed by the Labour Code, Law 4808/2021 and Law 5053/2023, together with national and sectoral collective agreements. Most employees are paid 14 salaries a year. Here is what employers need to know about leave, pay, tax and ending employment.
Annual leave in Greece grows with length of service. Collective agreements and employment contracts can grant more than the statutory minimums below, but never less.
For a 5-day week (24 days for a 6-day week), accrued pro-rata in the first year. Rises to 21 and then 22 days in the following years.
56 days before and 63 days after the birth, funded mainly by e-EFKA. A further special maternity protection leave follows, paid by the public employment service DYPA.
14 working days on full pay, paid by the employer, to be taken around the birth of the child.
For each parent, until the child turns 8, after 1 year of service. The first 2 months are paid by DYPA at the level of the minimum wage.
Employers also pay a leave allowance of up to half a month’s salary each year (see Pay & working hours).
Set up each Greek leave type in IceHrm with its own accrual, carry forward and approval rules, including service-based entitlements and pro-rata leave in the first year. Employees see their live balance before they apply, and managers see who is away on a shared calendar. Leave management →
The statutory minimum wage is set each year by ministerial decision. Sectoral collective agreements can set higher minimums.
Gross, for full-time salaried employees, from 1 April 2026. Paid 14 times a year once the statutory bonuses are included.
Usually 8 hours a day over 5 days. Average weekly hours, including overtime, may not exceed 48 over a reference period.
12 monthly salaries plus a Christmas bonus, an Easter bonus and a leave allowance.
Each bonus is pro-rated for employees who did not work the full qualifying period.
Greece distinguishes between excess work (the first hours worked beyond 40 a week, up to 45 in a 5-day week), paid at a 20% premium, and legal overtime beyond that, paid at a 40% premium and capped at an annual limit. Overtime must be recorded in the ERGANI system, and the digital work card applies in a growing number of sectors. Work on Sundays and public holidays attracts a 75% premium.
Capture attendance and overtime in IceHrm and feed the hours straight into payroll, so excess work, overtime and holiday premiums reflect what was actually worked. Time & attendance →
Employment income is taxed at progressive rates. Employers withhold tax from each monthly payment and file withholding returns with the tax authority (AADE). A 2026 reform lowered the middle rates and added reductions for younger employees and parents.
| Taxable income | Rate |
|---|---|
| €0 – €10,000 | 9% |
| €10,001 – €20,000 | 20% |
| €20,001 – €30,000 | 26% |
| €30,001 – €40,000 | 34% |
| €40,001 – €60,000 | 39% |
| Over €60,000 | 44% |
Employees under 25 pay no tax on income up to €20,000, and employees aged 26 to 30 pay 9% on the €10,001 – €20,000 band.
Social security contributions are paid to e-EFKA on gross earnings, including the statutory bonuses, up to a monthly ceiling. The exact rate depends on the employee’s insurance branches and occupation.
Standard rate covering main and supplementary pension, health, unemployment and other funds.
Withheld from the employee’s gross pay, giving a combined standard rate of 35.16%.
From 1 January 2026. No contributions are due on earnings above this amount.
Heavy and unhealthy occupations and some sectors carry higher rates, so check each employee’s insurance classification.
Build Greek pay the way you already structure it, with your own salary components, deductions and formula columns, such as the Christmas and Easter bonuses or an e-EFKA contribution column. Want to know how well IceHrm handles payroll calculations for Greece? Contact us or see Payroll →
An open-ended contract can be ended without notice or severance during the first 12 months, unless the parties agreed otherwise. After that, dismissal must be in writing, the employee must be paid the statutory severance, and the termination must be filed on ERGANI within the legal deadline.
| Length of service | Notice |
|---|---|
| Up to 12 months | None |
| 12 months to 2 years | 1 month |
| 2 to 5 years | 2 months |
| 5 to 10 years | 3 months |
| More than 10 years | 4 months |
| Length of service | Without notice | With notice |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 4 years | 2 months | 1 month |
| 4 to 6 years | 3 months | 1.5 months |
| 6 to 8 years | 4 months | 2 months |
| 8 to 10 years | 5 months | 2.5 months |
| 10 to 11 years | 6 months | 3 months |
| 11 to 12 years | 7 months | 3.5 months |
| 12 to 13 years | 8 months | 4 months |
| 13 to 14 years | 9 months | 4.5 months |
| 14 to 15 years | 10 months | 5 months |
| 15 to 16 years | 11 months | 5.5 months |
| 16 years or more | 12 months | 6 months |
Final pay also includes any unused annual leave and the pro-rated share of the Christmas and Easter bonuses and leave allowance.
Greece observes the following national holidays. Easter-related holidays follow the Orthodox calendar, and some islands and cities add local holidays for their patron saints.
Employees who work on a public holiday are entitled to a premium on top of their normal pay. Treatment of some days, such as Good Friday and Whit Monday, can depend on the sector and collective agreement.
Leave groups give each office its own holiday calendar, so staff on an island with a local patron saint’s day and staff in Athens each get the right days off automatically. Holiday calendars →
Employees can be hired on open-ended or fixed-term contracts, full-time or part-time. Every hire must be declared on the ERGANI information system before the employee starts work.
The first 12 months of an open-ended contract are treated as a probationary period, during which the contract can end without notice or severance unless otherwise agreed. Fixed-term contracts need an objective reason when renewed, and successive renewals beyond the legal limits can turn them into open-ended employment.
Send contracts for e-signing, store them on the employee’s record, and track onboarding steps such as the ERGANI declaration with task lists so nothing is missed on day one. Documents & e-signing →
This guide is general information to help you plan HR processes, not legal, tax or financial advice. Employment law and rates change regularly and awards, enterprise agreements and state rules may give employees more than the minimums shown here. Always confirm current requirements with the official sources or a qualified adviser.
Configure leave types, accrual rules and public holidays for Greece, keep employee records and contracts in one place, and run payroll with your own salary components. Want to know how IceHrm handles payroll calculations for Greece? Talk to us.
Start Free Trial Explore Features Contact Us