CORPORATE SERVICES . IMMIGRATION SERVICES
CONSULTING . ONLINE MARKETING

REGISTRATION OF EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES 

Every salaried person or self employed person must have a Personal Tax Identification Code (T.I.C) and a Personal Social Insurance Number (S.I.C). The registration of personnel is made though the Social Insurance Office and the Income Tax Office. The procedure is not complicated and it usually takes 10 working days to be registered with Social Insurance Office and the Income Tax Office. In the event
that the Company / Sole Trader is not registered as an employer, it should also register as an employer first and then register the employees under his/her name. 

MINIMUM WAGE

According to Ministry of Labour and Social Insurance guidelines, for full time office employees, the minimum monthly wage at recruitment is EUR870. For employees who have completed a six month period of employment at the same employer, the minimum monthly wage is EUR924. Note that other rates apply for some professions.

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NORMAL WORKING HOURS

The working week is Monday to Friday and the standard working hours are 40 hours across five days. In some sectors such as retail shops, a six-day week is possible. Employers must be granted written permission from employees in order to increase the employee’s working hours. 

All work more than the standard working hours a week is to be paid as overtime and is regulated by the employment contract or collective bargaining agreements. The maximum number of hours during a workweek is 48 and is averaged over a 4-month period. All hours in excess of 40 hours a week are paid at an overtime compensation rate; this rate is stipulated in the employment contract or collective bargaining agreements.
 

PAID ANNUAL LEAVE

The paid annual leave entitlement is dependent on the number of years of employment. The standard leave entitlement for employees who work a five-day week is 20 days per year or 24 days per year for employees who work a six-day week. Further entitlement for leave is outlined in the employment contract or collective agreement. Employees become eligible after 48 weeks of employment with a single employer, and the employer reserves the right to accept or deny any leave requests due to the demands of the business.
 
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
There are 14 public holidays. Most are religious feast days and national days.
 
SICK DAYS
Employees are entitled to paid sick leave from the fourth day of sickness and is paid by Social Security. The employee must submit a medical certificate to the Social Security Administration within 48 hours of the start of the sick leave.

MATERNITY LEAVE
Female employees are entitled to 18 weeks of maternity leave. The leave increased to 22 weeks for twins and 26 weeks for triplets. 11 weeks of maternity leave are compulsory and are generally taken as two weeks before the due date and the remainder after. To be entitled to maternity leave, the pregnant employee must provide a medical certificate certifying her pregnancy and the expected due date.

PATERNITY LEAVE
Fathers are entitled to 2 consecutive weeks of paid paternity leave within the 16 weeks following the birth of a child, paid by the Social Insurance Fund at 75.20% of the employees’ regular salary.

PARENTAL LEAVE
The right to parental leave covers all employees who have children under the age of 8. According to the law, every eligible employee can take up unpaid parental leave of up to eighteen weeks for each child.
 
OTHER LEAVE
Depending on collective bargaining agreements or the employment contract, an employee may be allowed additional leave types such as following:

• Bereavement: Employees are entitled to up to 5 days of paid leave due to a death of a direct family member.

• Adoption: Employees who want to adopt a child under the age of twelve years are entitled to up to 16 continuous weeks’ leave starting from the date they begin to take care of the adopted child.

• Military: Employees called to perform military service are covered by assimilated insurance.