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above poverty level for private-sector employees and unspecialized workers.
On April 1, the government increased the minimum monthly wage to €780
($843). The maximum legal workweek was 40 hours. The law provided for
at least one 24-hour rest period per week, one month paid vacation per
year, and limits on the amount of overtime work. Overtime work required
premium pay, and employers had to seek Ministry of Labor and Social
authorization. Premium pay ranged from an additional 20 percent to 100
percent of the prorated daily wage, based on total hours, day of the week
and time of the day. The law also required that for every hour of unlawful
overtime work, the employer paid an additional 120 percent of the daily
wage. Employers also provided compensatory time off.
Employers were required to declare in advance and digitally register
changes to employee work schedules, including overtime. Some sectors
were required to issue digital work cards, allowing authorities to monitor
staff hours and leave in real time. Employers could be fined for any violation
and the government could suspend business operations in case of repeated
violations. Courts were required to promptly examine and issue rulings
regarding employee complaints of delayed payment.
Occupational Safety and Health: The law provided minimum standards of
occupational health and safety (OSH) applicable for all industries. It placed
responsibility for identifying unsafe situations on occupational safety and
health experts rather than workers. Workers had the right to file a
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2023
United States Department of State • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
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