A major labor reform bill, recently approved by Parliament, aims to replace the current eight-hour working day with flexible working hours and loosen the rules on overtime, among other things. The bill will also transpose the requirements of the EU Directive on Work-Life Balance as well as two International Labor Organization conventions on harassment, health and security. Most provisions will take immediate effect after publication of the law in the government Gazette or within one to two months of publication.
Notable changes introduced by the law include:
The law is intended to create a more flexible regulatory framework for employment, but some elements are controversial, such as the option for employees to work longer days without entitlement to overtime pay in return for shorter working time other days of the week. The changes are, in any event, extensive and should be closely reviewed by employers in Greece to ensure that corporate policies and practices comply with the new standards.