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📌 Minors under the age of 15 are not allowed to work.

If you are under 15 years old, you can be paid for cultural, artistic, sports, advertising or modeling activities. Payment will be made based on a contract, to your parents or legal representative.

The activities you can carry out are:

• actor, extra, singer, musician, dancer, acrobat at the theater, opera, ballet, circus, dance, music or in performance competitions, as well as any other competitions or stage activities;

• actor, extra, singer, musician, dancer, acrobat or model in filming for feature films, filming, recordings or live broadcasts for radio and television;

• model or extra in photo sessions;

• model or extra in fashion shows;

• professional athlete in sports events.

Activities can only take place during daytime (depending on your age, but no later than 10 p.m.) and you must be accompanied by a parent, legal representative or chaperone. Children have more breaks and a reduced work schedule, according to their age.

📌 ATTENTION!

Your parent or legal representative is required to inform the social services in writing before you engage in the activities for which you will be paid. The following documents will also be required:

• a copy of your birth certificate; 

• a copy of the ID card of the parent, legal representative or chaperone, as the case may be; 

• medical certificate issued by the pediatrician, certifying whether you are medically fit to carry out the activity. If you you are a professional athlete, you will also need to obtain a medical certificate from the sports medicine doctor;

• a recommendation from a psychologist, stating whether you are ready for this activity, whether you agree to carry out the activity, and other recommendations;

• a certificate from kindergarten, school or highschool, if the activity you carry out takes place during school hours.

The social service department asks for all these documents to make sure you are not being exploited. 

If you think you are in a situation of abuse or exploitation, you can call 119 - The Child’s Phone. The call is free from any landline or mobile phone network. The line is available 24 hours a day.

As a minor, you can be paid for cultural, artistic, sport, advertising, or modeling activities. Payment will be made based on a contract, to your parents or legal representative.

📌 The activities you can carry out are:

• actor, extra, singer, musician, dancer, acrobat at the theater, opera, ballet, circus, dance, music or in performance competitions, as well as any other competitions or stage activities;

• actor, extra, singer, musician, dancer, acrobat or model in filming for feature films, filming, recordings or live broadcasts for radio and television;

• model or extra in photo sessions;

• model or extra in fashion shows;

• professional athlete in sports events.

Activities can only take place during daytime (depending on your age, but no later than 10 p.m.) and you must be accompanied by a parent, legal representative or chaperone. Children have more breaks and a reduced work schedule, according to their age.

📌 ATTENTION!

Your parent or legal representative is required to inform the social services in writing before you engage in the activities for which you will be paid.The following documents will also be required:

• A copy of your birth certificate; 

• A copy of the ID card of the parent, legal representative or chaperone, as the case may be; 

• Medical certificate issued by the pediatrician, certifying whether you are medically fit to carry out the activity. If you are a professional athlete, you will also need to obtain a medical certificate from the sports medicine doctor;

• A recommendation from a psychologist, stating whether you are ready for this activity, whether you agree to carry out the activity, and other recommendations;

• Certificate from kindergarten, school or highschool, if the activity you carry out takes place during school hours.

The social service department asks for all these documents to make sure you are not being exploited. 

If you think you are in a situation of abuse or exploitation, you can call 119 - The Child’s Phone. The call is free from any landline or mobile phone network. The line is available 24 hours a day.

If you are 15 years old, you can work only with the permission of your parents or legal representative. Their consent must be noted in a declaration that can be made at any notary office. Your parents or legal representative will need to go to the notary with the following documents:

• Identity documents of the parents / legal representative;

• Your (the child’s) birth certificate.

The cost of such a notary declaration starts from 100 RON.

You can be employed:

• Part-time; 

• Full-time - 6h/day or 30h/week.

Your employer is not allowed to make you work in dangerous conditions that are unsuitable for your age or physical abilities. They are not allowed to make you work at night (between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) either. 

Even if you work less hours than an adult, your employer is not allowed to pay you a salary lower than the minimum wage for full-time work (3300 RON gross, equivalent to 1941 RON net / "in hand").

ATTENTION! If you think you are in a situation of abuse or exploitation, you can call 119 - The Child’s Phone Number. The call is free from any fixed or mobile network. The line is available 24 hours a day.

As a minor, you can be paid for cultural, artistic, sport, advertising, or modeling activities. Payment will be made based on a contract, to your parents or legal representative.

The activities you can carry out are:

• actor, extra, singer, musician, dancer, acrobat at the theater, opera, ballet, circus, dance, music or in performance competitions, as well as any other competitions or stage activities;

• actor, extra, singer, musician, dancer, acrobat or model in filming for feature films, filming, recordings or live broadcasts for radio and television;

• model or extra in photo sessions;

• model or extra in fashion shows;

• professional athlete in sports events.

Activities can only take place during the day (depending on your age, but no later than 10 p.m.) and you must have a parent, legal representative or chaperone with you. Children have more breaks and a reduced work schedule, according to their age.

ATTENTION! Your parent or legal representative is required to inform the social services department in writing before you engage in the activities for which you will be paid.The following documents will also be required:

• a copy of your birth certificate; 

• a copy of the ID card of the parent, legal representative or chaperone, as the case may be; 

• medical certificate issued by the pediatrician, certifying whether you are medically fit to carry out the activity. If you are a professional athlete, you will also need to obtain a medical certificate from the sports medicine doctor;

• a recommendation from a psychologist, stating whether you are ready for this activity, whether you agree to carry out the activity, and other recommendations;

• a certificate from kindergarten, school or highschool, if the activity you carry out takes place during school hours.

The social service department asks for all these documents to make sure you are not being exploited. 

If you think you are in a situation of abuse or exploitation, you can call 119 - The Child’s Phone. The call is free from any landline or mobile phone network. The line is available 24 hours a day.

If you are between 16 and 18 years old, you can be employed without needing the written consent of your parents or legal representative.

You can be employed:

• part-time;

• full-time - 6h/day or 30h/week. 

Your employer is not allowed to make you work in dangerous conditions that are unsuitable for your age or physical abilities. They are not allowed to make you work at night (between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.) either. 

Even if you work less hours than an adult, your employer is not allowed to pay you a salary lower than the minimum wage for full-time work (3300 RON gross, equivalent to 1941 RON net / "in hand").

ATTENTION! If you think you are in a situation of abuse or exploitation, you can call 119 - The Child’s Phone Number. The call is free from any landline or mobile phone network. The line is available 24 hours a day.

Unlike a "classic" employment contract, apprenticeship implies that you will receive professional training at the workplace. 

As an apprentice between the ages of 16 and 18, your working hours cannot exceed 6h/day or 30h/week.

Apprenticeship is considered work experience. At the end of the apprenticeship period, you will receive a certificate attesting the qualification level you have achieved.

The apprenticeship contract will always be concluded for a fixed period. Its duration depends on the qualification level you are preparing for, ranging from 6 months to 3 years.

During the apprenticeship, your employer is not allowed to pay you a salary lower than the minimum wage for full-time work (3300 RON gross, respectively 1941 RON net / "in hand").

To participate in an apprenticeship program, you can register in the database of the County Employment Agency (AJOFM) in the area of your domicile (the main address, entered in the identity document) or residence (the address where you declare that you have a secondary residence, other than your home), presenting the following documents:

• your identity document, in original and a copy;

• your education and qualification documents, in original and a copy;

• medical certificate showing that you are fit for work or if you have any medical restrictions;

• standardized application form, which you obtain from AJOFM.

See the list with the contact details of the Agencies in each county here.

As a Romanian citizen, your right to work cannot be limited. Of course, if the profession you have chosen has certain rules (for example, it is necessary to graduate high school or to be qualified), you must comply with them.

You can be employed on:

• a part-time schedule - most commonly, 4 hours/day or 20 hours/week;

• a full-time schedule - 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week.

You can also have several work contracts, as long as you do not exceed 12 hours/day.

You can find a job on your own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.)

To increase your chances of getting hired, it is important to look for those positions that match your knowledge and skills. Most qualified job openings require you to have graduated 8 or 10 classes in Romania (or to have your education recognized here). If you want to qualify for the job, you can choose to do an apprenticeship. 

If you are unable to find a job on your own, you can contact the County Employment Agencies. You can find their contact information here.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)!

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

Unlike a "classic" employment contract, apprenticeship implies that you will receive professional training at the workplace. 

Apprenticeship is considered work experience. At the end of the apprenticeship period, you will receive a certificate attesting the qualification level you have achieved.

The apprenticeship contract will always be concluded for a fixed period. Its duration depends on the qualification level you are preparing for, ranging from 6 months to 3 years.

During the apprenticeship, your employer is not allowed to pay you a salary lower than the minimum wage for full-time work (3300 RON gross, respectively 1941 RON net / "in hand").

To participate in an apprenticeship program, you can register in the database of the County Employment Agency (AJOFM) in the area of your domicile (the main address, entered in the identity document) or residence (the address where you declare that you have a secondary residence, other than your home), presenting the following documents:

• your identity document, in original and a copy;

• education and qualification documents, in original and a copy;

• medical certificate showing that you are fit for work or if you have any medical restrictions;

• standardized application form, which you obtain from AJOFM.

See the list with the contact details of the Agencies in each county here.

As a Romanian citizen, your right to work cannot be limited. Of course, if the profession you have chosen has certain rules (for example, it is necessary to graduate high school or to be qualified), you must comply with them.

You can be employed on:

• a part-time schedule - most commonly, 4 hours/day or 20 hours/week;

• a full-time schedule - 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week.

You can also have several work contracts, as long as you do not exceed 12 hours/day. 

The County Employment Agencies (AJOFM) can help you with several types of services:

• information and professional advice;

• job mediation - connecting employers with job seekers;

• vocational training;

• evaluation and recognition of professional skills obtained in non-formal and informal contexts.

To have access to these services, you must register with the Agency in the county where you reside. See the list with the contact details of the Agencies in each county here.

To register for mediation services, you must submit a series of documents:

• identity document;

• declaration regarding the processing of personal data;

• application for registration in the records for the purpose of mediation;

• application for granting mediation services.

You can access the documents online here.

If you are a citizen of the European Union or the European Economic Area, you can be employed under the same conditions as Romanian citizens. You do not need a work permit or visa!

If you plan to reside in Romania for more than 3 months, you must register at the office of the General Inspectorate for Immigration in the county where you live. You can find the complete list of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

You can have an 8-hour/day employment contract and another contract for a maximum of 4 hours/day.

You can find a job on your own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.).

To increase your chances of getting hired, it is important to look for those positions that match your knowledge and skills. Most qualified job openings require you to have graduated 8 or 10 classes in Romania (or to have your education recognized here). If you want to qualify for the job, you can choose to do an apprenticeship.

If you are unable to find a job on your own, you can contact the County Employment Agencies. Find contact details of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)!

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

Temporary protection is an exceptional measure of the European Union aimed at providing immediate and temporary protection for people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. You can find out more about your rights as a beneficiary of temporary protection here.

If you are not sure what your status is in Romania, check your residence permit. Your status will always be clearly noted on the permit, as in this example:

If you benefit from temporary protection in Romania, you can be employed based on your residence permit. You don't need an employment permit or a visa!

If you do not have the required documents (diplomas, certificates, accreditations), you will give a statement that you have had training or experience in the field and that you have no criminal record incompatible with the activity you are going to perform. According to the law, there are professions that you cannot practice if you have committed certain crimes or misdemeanors. For example, you cannot work at a security firm if you have intentionally committed a crime (e.g. you have committed theft).

You can have a work contract of 8 hours/day and another contract with a maximum of 4 hours/day.

You can find a job on your own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.).

To increase your chances of getting hired, it is important to look for those positions that match your knowledge and skills. Most qualified job openings require you to have graduated 8 or 10 classes in Romania (or to have your education recognized here). If you want to qualify for the job, you can choose to do an apprenticeship. 

If you are unable to find a job on your own, you can contact the County Employment Agencies. Find contact details of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)! 

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

Temporary protection is an exceptional measure of the European Union aimed at providing immediate and temporary protection for people fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. You can find out more about your rights as a beneficiary of temporary protection here.

If you are not sure what your status is in Romania, check your residence permit. Your status will always be clearly noted on the permit, as in this example:

If you benefit from temporary protection in Romania, you can be employed based on your residence permit. You don't need an employment permit or a visa!

If you do not have the required documents (diplomas, certificates, accreditations), you will give a sworn declaration stating that you have had training or experience in the field and that you have no criminal record incompatible with the activity you are going to perform.

You can have a work contract of 8 hours/day and another contract with a maximum of 4 hours/day.

If you have fled the conflict in Ukraine, you can access several resources to help you find a job here.

The County Employment Agencies (AJOFM) can help you with several types of services:

• information and professional advice;

• job mediation - connecting employers with job seekers;

• vocational training;

• evaluation and recognition of professional skills obtained in a non-formal and informal context.

To have access to these services, you must register with the Agency in the county where you reside. See the list with the contact details of the Agencies in each county here.

To register for mediation services, you must submit a series of documents:

• identity document (international passport / domestic Ukrainian passport);

• temporary protection beneficiary document;

• declaration regarding the processing of personal data;

• application for registration in the records for the purpose of mediation;

• application for granting mediation services.

You are an asylum seeker if you requested the protection of the Romanian state due to acts of persecution, human rights violations or armed conflict in your country of origin, and the asylum procedure in your case has not been finalized.

If you are not sure what your status is in Romania, look at your residence permit. Your status will always be clearly noted on the permit, as in this example:

You can find out more about the asylum procedure here.

As an asylum seeker, you do not have the right to work in Romania unless you are in one of the following situations:

• if more than 3 months have passed since you submitted your asylum application and you have not yet received a response (from the General Inspectorate for Immigration), and this delay is not caused by your actions;

• if you are in the judicial phase of the asylum procedure;

• if you had the right to work in Romania before applying for asylum.

If you are in one of these situations, you can be employed based on your residence permit. You don't need an employment permit or a visa!

You can have a work contract of 8 hours/day and another contract with a maximum of 4 hours/day.

You can find a job on you own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.)

To increase your chances of getting hired, it is important to look for those positions that match your knowledge and skills.Most qualified job openings require you to have graduated 8 or 10 classes in Romania (or to have your education recognized here). If you want to qualify for the job, you can choose to do an apprenticeship.

If you are unable to find a job on your own, you can contact the County Employment Agencies. You can find contact details of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)!

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

You are an asylum seeker if you requested the protection of the Romanian state due to acts of persecution, human rights violations or armed conflict in your country of origin, and the asylum procedure in your case has not been finalized.

You can find out more about the asylum procedure here.

As an asylum seeker, you do not have the right to work in Romania unless you are in one of the following situations:

• if more than 3 months have passed since you submitted your asylum application and you have not yet received a response (from the General Inspectorate for Immigration), and this delay is not caused by your actions;

• if you are in the judicial phase of the asylum procedure;

• if you had the right to work in Romania before applying for asylum.

The County Employment Agencies (AJOFM) can help you with several types of services:

• information and professional advice;

• job mediation - connecting employers with job seekers;

• vocational training;

• evaluation and recognition of professional skills obtained in a non-formal and informal context.

To have access to these services, you must register with the Agency in the county where you reside. See the list with the contact details of the Agencies in each county here.

To register for mediation services, you must submit a series of documents:

• identity document (passport);

• residence permit;

• declaration regarding the processing of personal data;

• application for enrollment in the mediation registry;

• application for granting mediation services.

You are a refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection if this status has been granted to you by the Romanian state following the asylum procedure. 

If you are not sure what your status is in Romania, look at your residence permit. Your status will always be clearly noted on the permit, as in this example:

As a refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection, you can work under the same conditions as Romanian citizens. You can be employed based on your residence permit, and you do not need an employment approval or visa!

You can have a work contract of 8 hours/day and another contract with a maximum of 4 hours/day.

You can find a job on you own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.).

To increase your chances of getting hired, it is important to look for those positions that match your knowledge and skills. Most qualified job openings require you to have graduated 8 or 10 classes in Romania (or to have your education recognized here). If you want to qualify for the job, you can choose to do an apprenticeship.

If you are unable to find a job on your own, you can contact the County Employment Agencies. Find contact details of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)!

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

You are a refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection if this status has been granted to you by the Romanian state following the asylum procedure. 

As a refugee or beneficiary of subsidiary protection, you can work under the same conditions as Romanian citizens. You can be employed based on your residence permit, and you do not need an employment approval or visa!

You can have a work contract of 8 hours/day and another contract with a maximum of 4 hours/day.

The County Employment Agencies (AJOFM) can help you with several types of services:

• information and professional advice;

• job mediation - connecting employers with job seekers;

• vocational training;

• evaluation and recognition of professional skills obtained in a non-formal and informal context.

To have access to these services, you must register with the Agency in the county where you reside. See the list with the contact details of the Agencies in each county here.

To register for mediation services, you must submit a series of documents:

• identity document (passport);

• residence permit;

• declaration regarding the processing of personal data;

• application for registration in the records for the purpose of mediation;

• application for granting mediation services.

As a foreign student, you do not need an employment permit to work in Romania. You can be employed based on your residence permit, but you can only work part-time, for a maximum of 4 hours/day or 20 h/week.

You can find a job on your own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.).

To increase your chances of getting hired, it's important to search for positions that match your skills and the program you studied at the university.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)!

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

The temporary residence permit for studies can be extended by 9 months after completing your studies, for the purpose of job searching and to carry out employment formalities or to open a business, by presenting the documents attesting to the completion of studies.

To extend your stay, you need to contact the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) office in the county where you have your residence. You can find the complete list of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

You can find a job on your own by:

• directly contacting companies or organizations that are hiring;

• using specialized online platforms (e.g. LinkedIn, Best Jobs, Hipo, etc.)

To increase your chances of getting hired, it's important to look for positions that match your knowledge and skills.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)!  Your right to stay in Romania depends on having an employment contract, so you won't be able to extend your stay based on working illegally (off the books).

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

You are allowed to work in Romania as long as your residence permit for work purposes is valid. 

Your status and the validity period of your residence permit will be written on it, as in the example below:

You can have a full-time employment contract for 8 hours/day and another part-time contract for a maximum of 4 hours/day. However, you cannot exceed a total of 48 hours per week with the same employer.

During the validity period of your residence permit, you have the right to change your place of employment at any time, whether you enter into a new contract with the same employer or you want to work for a different employer.

However, you can only be employed again if your employer obtains a new employment approval for you.

To obtain the work permit, your employer needs to contact the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) office in the county where you have residence. You can find the complete list of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)! Your right to stay in Romania depends on having an employment contract, so you won't be able to extend your stay based on working illegally (off the books).

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

You are allowed to work in Romania as long as your residence permit for work purposes is valid. 

Your status and the validity period of your residence permit will be written on it, as in the example below:

You can have a full-time employment contract for 8 hours/day and another part-time contract for a maximum of 4 hours/day. However, you cannot exceed a total of 48 hours per week with the same employer.

During the validity of your residence permit, you have the right to change your place of employment at any time, whether you enter into a new contract with the same employer or you want to work for a different employer.

However, you can only be employed again if your employer obtains a new employment approval for you.

To obtain the work permit, your employer needs to contact the General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) office in the county where you have residence. You can find the complete list of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

ATTENTION! You will need your current employer’s written consent in order to move to another employer. Exceptions are when:

• your collaboration has ended by mutual agreement;

• you have resigned due to reasons such as poor working conditions, delayed salary payments, failure to respect working hours, etc.

Why should I avoid undeclared work?

Even if you receive an offer, never accept undeclared work (off the books)! Your right to stay in Romania depends on having an employment contract, so you won't be able to extend your stay based on working illegally (off the books).

In order to work legally, you must sign an employment contract with your employer and sign a monthly document showing your salary for that month.

As a person who works "off the books", you will not have any form of protection such as medical insurance, occupational accident insurance or benefits such as legal leave or meal vouchers. Additionally, the period when you worked “off the books” will not be taken into account when calculating work experience.

If you work "off the books" you can receive a fine ranging from 500 to 1000 lei, according to the law. 

You can report cases of undeclared work to the Territorial Labor Inspectorate in your county. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

You can extend your residence permit for employment purposes by obtaining a new permit, without needing a new visa.

The application and supporting documents must be submitted to GII at least 30 days before the expiring date of your current residence permit. 

Your status and the validity period of your residence permit will be written on it, as in the example below:

You can find the complete list of county offices of the General Inspectorate for Immigration here.

You can extend your residence permit in Romania if you meet the following conditions:

• you have a full-time individual employment contract (8h/day or 40h/week), registered in the general register of employees (REVISAL);

• your salary is at least at the minimum gross salary level. Starting from October 1st, 2023, the gross minimum wage is 3300 RON.

You and your future employer will become parties to an individual employment contract. To conclude the employment contract, you need the following documents:

• copy of your identity document - identity card / passport;

• copies of documents proving previous education / skills / professional experience. For example, you may be asked for your baccalaureate or bachelor's degree, certificate of qualification in a certain field or proof of seniority;

• Medical certificate issued by the occupational medicine doctor’s office. The employer is the one who will schedule your appointment at the occupational medicine clinic and the one who will cover the cost of the consultation;

• copy of your birth certificate;

• copy of your marriage certificate, divorce certificate or any document attesting to your change of name or status (if applicable);

• copies of your minor children's birth certificates (if applicable).

The employer may also ask for other documents they consider important, such as documents from the former employer. For example, they may ask for the decision to terminate the employment contract or a certificate of employment history.

Upon employment, you will also fill in a declaration regarding your dependents - a document necessary to calculate possible deductions for income tax purposes. Your dependent persons  may be your spouse, children or other family members, including your spouse’s family members,  up to the second degree of kinship, whose income, taxable and non-taxable, does not exceed 20% of the monthly gross minimum wage. Minor children are automatically considered dependents.

You and your future employer will become parties to an individual employment contract. To conclude the employment contract, you need the following documents:

• copy of your identity document - internal passport / passport / residence permit in Romania;

• copies of documents proving previous education / skills / professional experience. For example, you may be asked for your highschool diploma or bachelor's degree, certificate of qualification in a certain field or certificate of work experience. Ukrainian citizens who have fled the conflict are exempt from the obligation to present documents proving their education or qualifications. If you do not have the necessary documents (diplomas, certificates, attestations, criminal record, etc.) you will give a statement  noting that you have received training or have experience in the field and that you have no criminal record incompatible with the activity you are going to carry out;

• approval from the occupational medicine doctor. The employer will schedule the consultation at the occupational medicine clinic and the employer will cover the cost for the consultation;

• copy of your birth certificate;

• copy of your marriage certificate, divorce certificate or any document that certifies a change of name or status (if applicable);

• copies of the birth certificates of your minor children (if applicable). 

The employer may also request other documents that they consider important, such as documents from the former employer. For example, they may ask for the decision to terminate the employment contract or a certificate of employment history.

Upon employment, you will also fill in a declaration regarding your dependents - a document necessary to calculate possible deductions for income tax purposes. Your dependent persons  may be your spouse, children or other family members, including your spouse’s family members,  up to the second degree of kinship, whose income, taxable and non-taxable, does not exceed 20% of the monthly gross minimum wage. Minor children are automatically considered dependents.

You and your future employer will become parties to an individual employment contract. To conclude the employment contract, you will need the following documents:

• Copy of your identity document - national identity card / passport;

• Copy of your residence permit in Romania;

• Copies of documents proving your education / skills / previous professional experience. For example, you may be asked for your high school or bachelor's degree diploma, a qualification certificate in a specific field, or a work experience certificate.

• Occupational medicine doctor's approval.  The employer will schedule your medical examination and cover the cost;

• Copy of your birth certificate;

• Copy of your marriage certificate, divorce certificate, or any document indicating a change in your name or status (if applicable);

• Copies of birth certificates of your minor children (if applicable).

The employer may also request other documents that they consider important, such as documents from your former employer. For example, they may ask for the decision to terminate the employment contract or a certificate of employment history.

Upon employment, you will also fill in a declaration regarding your dependents - a document necessary to calculate possible deductions for income tax purposes. Your dependent persons  may be your spouse, children or other family members, including your spouse’s family members,  up to the second degree of kinship, whose income, taxable and non-taxable, does not exceed 20% of the monthly gross minimum wage. Minor children are automatically considered dependents.

It is mandatory that the individual employment contract includes information about the following:

• your identity and the employer's identity (name, address, identification number, etc.);

• The place where you will work (e.g. the employer's headquarters, field work, work from home);

• the role you will have and the description of the main job duties (job description);

• duration of the employment contract (fixed-term or indefinite);

• the starting date of your job;

• working hours (full-time, part-time);

• the salary you will receive for your work, the date it will be transferred to you and the payment method (e.g. by bank transfer). The salary cannot be lower than 3300 RON gross (1941 RON net) for full-time work, 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week;

• duration of annual leave. The minimum duration of the annual leave is 20 working days, according to the law;

• the criteria based on which your performance will be evaluated;

• conditions for granting notice and its duration;

• duration and conditions of the probation period (if applicable);

• specific job-related risks (if applicable).

The law obliges the employer to conclude the employment contract in writing, in Romanian, in two copies.

The employer must inform you of all the essential elements of the employment contract before signing it. Read the employment contract carefully before signing it!

How do I protect myself from exploitation?

Be careful! There is a risk that some individuals who claim to offer you a job may actually have the intention to exploit you!

There are signs indicating that you may be exploited. Be careful if the potential employer offers you a job with an unrealistically high salary or under conditions that sound too good to be true. Learn how to keep yourself safe.

The salary may vary depending on your work experience (length of time), your level of education, the field you want to work in, the role you are going to fill in, etc.

In most cases, your salary will be determined through negotiation between you and your employer. There are also jobs where the salary is fixed.

When determining the salary, it is prohibited for your employer to discriminate  based on gender, sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, age, country of origin, race, color, ethnicity, religion, political choice, social origin, disability, family situation or responsibility, or because of your involvement in a union. For example, your employer is not allowed to pay you less because you are a woman, if you have the same qualifications and experience as your male colleagues.

Starting from October 1st, 2023, the minimum gross base salary is 3300 RON. After deducting the fees and taxes owed by you and the employer, you must receive a net salary (in hand) of at least 1941 RON for full-time work (8h/day or 40h/week).

You have the right to be paid for the work you have done under the individual employment contract. 

Starting from October 1st, 2023, the minimum gross base salary is 3300 RON. After deducting the fees and taxes owed by you and the employer, you must receive a net salary (in hand) of at least 1941 RON for full-time work (8h/day or 40h/week).

When paying the salary, it is prohibited for your employer to discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, age, country of origin, race, color, ethnicity, religion, political choice, social origin, disability, family situation or responsibility, or because of your involvement in a union. For example, your employer is not allowed to pay you less because you are a woman, if you have the same qualifications and experience as your male colleagues.

The employer is obligated to pay you. The salary can only be withheld in cases covered by law:

• Payment of family maintenance obligations (e.g., child support payments for your minor child, as determined by court order);

• Contributions and taxes owed to the Government;

• Compensation for damage caused to public property through illegal acts;

• Covering other debts and damages caused to the employer, as long as the debt is due and established by a final and irrevocable court decision.

Even in the case of any potential withholding, cumulative deductions from the salary cannot exceed half of the net salary each month.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

Rest can take place: daily, weekly, and on public holidays.

Daily rest can take the form of meal breaks and other breaks, daily rest, and shift work.

Employees are entitled to meal breaks and other breaks if their daily working time exceeds 6 hours.

In the case of daily rest, employees are entitled to a minimum of 12 consecutive hours of rest between two working days or a minimum of 8 hours between shifts, in the case of shift work.

Weekly rest consists of a 48 consecutive hours break, usually falling on Saturdays or Sundays, although they can be granted on other days of the week to ensure the normal development of activities and the public interest. In such cases, employees will receive an additional payment.

There are exceptional situations in which days of rest are accumulated,  in case of a continuous activity period, that cannot exceed 14 days, 

Weekly rest can be suspended in cases of urgent work necessary in order to save lives e or the employer's property, to prevent imminent accidents, or to eliminate the effects of such accidents to the materials, installations, or buildings of the unit. In such cases, double compensation is provided.

On legal holidays (January 1st and 2nd, January 24th - Unification Day of the Romanian Principalities, Good Friday, the last Friday before Easter, the first and second day of Easter, May 1st, June 1st, the first and second day of Pentecost (Whitsunday), August 15th - Assumption of Mary, November 30th - Saint Andrew, December 1st, the first and second day of Christmas, two days for each of the three annual religious holidays declared as such by legal religious denominations other than Christian denominations for their members), work is not performed.

The right to annual leave is guaranteed to all employees and cannot be waived. It is a minimum of 20 days per year, but it can be more depending on your employment contract. The compensation received during annual leave cannot be less than the base salary, entitlements, and permanent bonuses. Employees who work in difficult, dangerous, or harmful conditions, the visually impaired, other persons with disabilities, and young people under 18 years of age are entitled to an additional leave of at least 3 working days. Individuals undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures are also entitled to three days of leave.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are located. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

All employees and employers must respect the principles of dignity and equality.

Every employee is entitled to suitable working conditions for the activity carried out, social protection, occupational safety and health, as well as respect for their dignity and conscience, without any discrimination.

The Labour Code explicitly provides for the employee's right to dignity at work. Violations of dignity at work can include:

• abusive, malicious, insulting behavior intended to intimidate the employee;

• unjustified criticism of the employee aimed at humiliating them;

• imposing tasks below the employee's qualifications;

• discretionary transfer without the employee's agreement;

• salary reduction;

• unjustified sanctions.

Violation of dignity at work can occur through both action and inaction. Inaction can take the form of neglecting to take the necessary measures to remedy the situation created by the employer or other employees.

Discrimination at work

Direct or indirect discrimination against an employee, discrimination by association, harassment, or victimization based on race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, language, religion, social origin, genetic features, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, chronic non-contagious illness, HIV infection, political opinion, family situation or responsibility, trade union affiliation, and belonging to a disadvantaged category are prohibited.

Discrimination occurs when the employer treats you worse than your colleagues in comparable situations due to your race, age, nationality, beliefs, gender, sexual orientation or other similar characteristics.

For example, discrimination occurs when you are fired because of your religion, even though you have fulfilled all of your job duties. Another case of discrimination is when a potential employer tells you that they do not want to promote you because of your country of origin, even though you meet all the requirements for the position.

Sometimes discrimination can take the form of seemingly fair procedures or practices, but which create a disadvantage for certain groups of people.

ATTENTION! If you feel discriminated against at work, you can contact the National Council for Combating Discrimination, through an online petition (available in Romanian, English, French, German and Hungarian). After submitting the complaint, you are protected against victimization (the employer is not allowed to take action against you as a result of filing this complaint).

Harassment in the workplace

Harassment in the workplace is based on unequal relationships of power and control. This can take various forms, ranging from economic and emotional abuse to physical and sexual abuse.

Harassment in the workplace can occur not only at the workplace itself (e.g. at the factory or in the office), but also in work-related spaces, such as in the means of transport or in the accommodation provided by the employer, through online communication or by phone, during business trips or in work-related social activities.

Find out more about harassment and what you can do if you've been harassed here.

Exploitation in the workplace

You may be exploited if your employer:

• forces you to perform work, services or engage in sexual activities without your consent and/or uses psychological pressure or manipulation to obtain your consent;

• takes or withholds your passport or other identification document(s);

• takes or withholds your personal means of communication (mobile phone, laptop, etc.);

• forces you to follow strict rules or controls you by limiting sleep/rest/food or access to water/medical care or isolates you;

• restricts your ability to move freely or forces you to live or work in confined spaces;

• asks you to work, perform services, or perform sexual acts to pay "debts" (sometimes they can make the "debt" harder to pay or makes you think you can't leave until it's paid);

• hires but does not respect agreed working conditions and/or does not pay you and/or pays you only part of what they promised or keeps control of your money.

Learn more about how you can stay safe. 

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are located. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

The employer must ensure the safety and health of employees by taking all necessary measures.

Among the main obligations of the employer are:

• to provide training for all employees regarding workplace risks and prevention. Such training must be conducted upon hiring and whenever there are changes in the type of work, equipment used, etc.;

• to provide individual protection equipment, free of charge, to employees working under hazardous conditions. If your equipment becomes damaged or loses its protective qualities, the employer must replace it;

• to take all necessary protective measures to prevent workplace risks and other hazardous incidents. For instance, every workspace must be equipped with a fire extinguisher and have an evacuation plan in case of a fire.

If you have suffered a workplace accident resulting in injury, you have the right to receive free medical services until your health is restored. Additionally, you are entitled to receive compensation that will support you financially until you are fit to work again.

Work-related accidents typically occur while you are working. However, the following situations can also be considered work-related accidents:

• accidents that happen during your commute from home to your workplace;

• accidents that occur while you are traveling for work purposes, both within Romania and abroad;

• accidents that happen outside of working hours but are related to your job, such as transporting tools or changing work attire;

• accidents that occur during professional training programs, and so on.

You can ask your employer to settle your gym membership, for practicing sports and physical education, within the limit of the equivalent in RON of the amount of 100 euros annually.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

Your rights as an employee include:

• the right to take part in determining and improving working conditions and the working environment;

• the right to collective and individual negotiation;

• the right to participate in collective actions;

• the right to form or join a trade union.

Employers must inform and consult employee representatives regarding:

• the development of the company's activities and economic situation; 

• structure, and likely evolution of employment within the company; 

• decisions that may result in significant changes in work organization, contractual relations, or employment relationships;

• specific procedures for informing and consulting in cases of collective dismissals and the protection of employees' rights in the event of the transfer of the enterprise.

The information and consultation must be provided at an appropriate time, manner, and with relevant content to enable employee representatives to adequately examine the issue and prepare for consultation, as well as to formulate their perspective.

A strike is an organized and voluntary cessation of work at the workplace, with the purpose of compelling the employer or authorities to fulfill certain demands.

A strike can only be initiated if all possibilities for resolving the collective labor dispute (conciliation) have been exhausted beforehand. Participation of employees in a strike is based on their free will. No employee can be forced to participate or not to participate in a strike. During the strike, your employment contract will be suspended. Therefore, you will not be paid during the strike and will not have access to other employee rights, except for health insurance .

You cannot be dismissed or otherwise penalized for participating in a strike.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

Employers are required to ensure the participation of all employees in professional training programs, and to cover  all expenses, at least once every 2 years if they have at least 21 employees, or once every 3 years if they have fewer than 21 employees.

The training can be carried out through the following forms:

• participation in courses organized by the employer or by professional training providers from the country or abroad;

• professional adaptation internships tailored to the job requirements and workplace;

• internships and specialization programs within the country and abroad;

• workplace apprenticeship;

• individualized training;

• other training forms agreed upon between the employer and the employee.

If your employer has paid for your vocational training programs, you are not allowed to resign for a period of time, which will be noted in an addendum to your employment contract.

If you choose to resign earlier than the date provided in the additional act, you will have to pay part of the value of the courses you attended, proportional to the length of time you had to work. For example, if your employer paid 5000 RON for a professional training course, and you were supposed to stay 2 years with that employer, but you only stayed one, you will have to pay 2500 RON to the employer in case of resignation.

You can also ask your employer to participate in a specific training program. The employee must decide on your request within 15 days. At the same time, the employer will decide on the conditions under which he will allow you to participate in the form of professional training, including whether he will bear all or part of the cost caused by it.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

Termination of the contract can be of two types: for reasons related to you (for example, for not fulfilling job duties) or for reasons unrelated to your conduct (for example, budgetary constraints).

As an employee, you are protected by the prohibition of dismissal for certain criteria such as:

• criteria based on race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, language, religion, social origin, genetic features, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, chronic non-contagious illness, HIV infection, political opinion, family situation, or responsibility, membership or activity in a trade union, membership in a disadvantaged category;

• for the exercise, under the conditions established by law, of the right to strike and trade union rights;

• for exercising the right to information regarding the terms of the employment contract, informing the employee who will work abroad, the probationary period, the main rights and obligations of the employee, the duration of the probationary period, and professional training programs;

• during temporary incapacity for work established by a medical certificate in accordance with the law;

• during the suspension of activities due to the establishment of quarantine;

• during pregnancy, to the extent that the employer was aware of this fact prior to issuing the dismissal decision;

• during maternity leave;

• during parental leave for the care of a child up to 2 years of age or, in the case of a child with a disability, up to the age of 3;

• during leave for taking care of a sick child up to 7 years of age or, in the case of a child with a disability, for intermittent illnesses, until the age of 18;

• during annual leave;

• during paternity leave and caregiver's leave, or during absence from work due to emergencies.

Dismissal for reasons related to you as an employee may be carried out if:

• You have committed a serious offense or repeated breaches of work discipline rules or rules established by the employment contract, as a disciplinary measure;

• You are under preventive arrest or house arrest for a period longer than 30 days;

• Based on a decision of competent medical expertise authorities, if your physical and/or mental incapacity is preventing you from performing your work duties;

• You do not meet the professional requirements of the position in which you are employed.

The decision must be motivated by facts and by law and must include details regarding the deadline for contestation and the court where it can be contested.

The employer has an obligation to present you with other vacant positions within the company that are compatible with your professional training or, as the case may be, with the your work capacity, as established by the occupational health doctor. They may also  seek the support of the territorial employment agency (AJOFM) for your redistribution, corresponding to your professional training and/or, if applicable, work capacity, as established by the occupational health doctor. 

As an employee, you will have 3 working days from the employer’s announcement to express your written consent regarding the new proposed position. If you do not provide your consent within this timeframe, the dismissal is carried out.

Dismissal for reasons unrelated to you as an employee represents the termination of the employment contract due to the elimination of the job position, for one or more reasons not related to you (for example, due to the liquidation of an enterprise). You are entitled to active measures to combat unemployment and may benefit from compensations as provided by law and the applicable collective labor agreement.

The dismissal decision is communicated to the employee in writing and must contain:

• the reasons that determine the dismissal;

• the duration of the notice;

• the criteria for establishing the order of priorities (in the case of collective layoffs);

• the list of all available jobs in the unit and the term in which the employees are to choose to fill a vacant job.

If you believe you have been unfairly dismissed, you have the right to challenge the dismissal decision in court and obtain compensation equal to the unpaid wages or reinstatement to your former job.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

In the case of collective dismissals, the employer has the obligation to initiate timely consultations with the labor union or employee representatives in order to reach an agreement. These consultations should cover at least the following aspects: methods and means to avoid dismissals or reduce the number of employees to be dismissed, and mitigation of the consequences of dismissals through social measures (support for retraining or professional conversion of dismissed employees).

The employer must provide them with all relevant information and notify them in writing about:

• the total number and categories of employees;

• the reasons for the dismissals;

• the number and categories of employees who will be affected by the dismissals;

• the criteria used to establish the order of priority for dismissals;

• measures considered to limit the number of dismissals;

• measures to mitigate the consequences of dismissals and the compensations to be provided to the dismissed employees;

• the date or period when the dismissals will occur;

• the deadline by which the labor union or employee representatives can make proposals to avoid or reduce the number of dismissals.

If you were dismissed due to collective redundancy, you have the right to be rehired with priority for the reinstated position in the same activity, without examination, competition, or probation period, within 45 days. In the situation where the same activities are resumed within 45 days, the employer will send a written communication to the employees who were dismissed from the positions whose activities are being resumed, under the same conditions of professional competence, informing them about the resumption of activities. They have a maximum of 5 calendar days from the date of announcement to express their written consent regarding the offered job.

Persons being dismissed are entitled to a notice period of no less than 20 working days.

The decision to terminate the employment is communicated to the employee in writing and must necessarily include:

• the reasons for the dismissal;

• the duration of the notice period;

• the criteria for determining the order of priority (in case of collective redundancies);

• the list of all available job positions within the company and the deadline by which employees must choose to occupy a vacant job position.

If you believe you have been unfairly dismissed, you have the right to challenge the dismissal decision in court and obtain compensation equal to the unpaid wages or reinstatement to your former job.

If you think that the employer does not respect your rights, you can notify the Territorial Labor Inspectorate of the County where you are. You can find the contact details of all Inspectorates here. You can also submit your complaint online, by filling out the form here (only available in Romanian).

If you are insured, you are entitled to pregnancy and maternity leave for a period of 126 calendar days, during which they receive maternity allowance (in Romanian “indemnizația de maternitate”).

For this, it is necessary to have had a contribution period of at least 6 months in the last 12 months prior to the month for which the leave is granted. 

Additionally, individuals who no longer have insured status for reasons beyond their control (e.g. they were laid off for reasons unrelated to their conduct) can also benefit from it, provided that the birth takes place within 9 months from the moment of losing their insured status.

The contribution period is the period in which you paid social security contributions to the public pension system.

To obtain the allowance, a medical certificate issued by the family doctor is required, based on a medical letter provided by the specialist doctor. It is paid from a special fund during maternity leave.

Find out more about the medical services you can access during pregnancy and childbirth here.

The child's parents, adoptive parents, the person to whom the child was entrusted for adoption, the person who has the child in foster care or in emergency foster care, the maternal assistant and the guardian can benefit from the child-rearing allowance (in Romanian “indemnizația pentru creșterea copilului”).

The child-rearing allowance is 85% of the average net income earned, with the mention that it cannot be less than 1496 RON/month, but not greater than 8500 RON/month. 

To receive the allowance for child rearing, you must contact the General Directorate for Social Assistance and Child Protection (DGASPC) in the county or sector where you live. 

To receive the child-rearing allowance, you must have earned income for a period of 12 months in the last 2 years prior to birth, adoption approval, custody, or placement or guardianship establishment. You are also eligible for the allowance for child rearing if you are in one of the following situations:

• sent on a permanent mission abroad;

• benefited from the monthly allowance provided in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic;

• accompanied your spouse who was sent on a permanent mission abroad;

• benefited from unemployment allowance or completed periods of internship contributing to the public pension system, under the conditions of collective dismissal;

• in the records of the county employment agencies (AJOFM), respectively of the municipality of Bucharest, in order to grant unemployment benefits;

• benefited from holidays and social health insurance allowances;

• benefited from medical leaves and allowances for the prevention of illnesses and the recovery of work capacity, exclusively for situations resulting from work accidents or occupational diseases;

• benefited from a disability pension;

• in the period of temporary interruption of the activity, at the initiative of the employer, without termination of the employment contract, for economic, technological, structural or similar reasons;

• benefited from leave and monthly allowance for raising the child;

• benefited from unpaid parental leave;

• are within the period of 3 months from the termination of a fixed-term employment contract and the start of another fixed-term employment contract;

• are a doctoral student;

• performed or are performing military service on a voluntary basis, were mobilized or in captivity;

• attend, without interruption, the day courses of pre-university education, including the "second chance" program, or, as the case may be, university at the level of undergraduate or master's studies, as well as postgraduate education at master's level, organized according to the law, in the country or abroad, in a field recognized by the Ministry of Education, with the exception of the interruption of courses for medical reasons;

• in the period between the end of a form of pre-university education and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of pre-university education, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• in the period between the graduation of the day courses of the pre-university education, organized according to the law, and the start of the university education, day courses, in the same calendar year;

• in the period between the end of a form of university education, day courses, with or without a license or diploma exam, and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of university education, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• in the period between the end of a form of university education, at the level of bachelor's or master's university studies, as well as postgraduate education at the master's level, day courses, and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of university education at the level of bachelor's or master's studies, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• in the period between the end of a form of postgraduate education, day courses, and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of postgraduate education, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• is within the period of 60 days from the completion of the compulsory education courses or, as the case may be, from the graduation of the day courses of the pre-university education, university at the undergraduate or master's level university studies and postgraduate at the master's level, organized according to the law, with or without a graduation exam, for employment or, as the case may be, unemployment, calculated starting from the 1st of the month following the completion of studies;

• benefited from unpaid leave to participate in training and professional development courses at the initiative of the employer or to which he gave his consent, organized in accordance with the law;

• in the period between the graduation of the day courses of the medical university, organized according to the law, with the license exam organized in the first session, and the start of the first residency after graduation.

The following documents are required to obtain the allowance:

• a standard application form signed by both parents;

• a copy of the parents' identity documents;

• a copy of the child's birth certificate or of the court decision of entrustment with adoption, the court decision or the decision of the child protection commission for the emergency placement measure, the birth certificates of the other children under supervision;

• a copy of the marriage certificate (if applicable);

• a copy of the family book or a declaration if it does not exist;

• A standard certificate issued by the employer showing that the entitled person: has earned salary income subject to income tax, according to the Fiscal Code, for 12 months, in the last 24 months before the birth of the child; 

• For bank account payment - proof issued by the bank that must contain: the name and surname of the account holder (the account must be in the name of the entitled person, who is the holder of the file), holder's CNP, IBAN code;

• A copy of the proof of the suspension of activity / termination of the activity (decision, order, disposition, additional document), (if applicable);

• The mother's statement regarding the maternity leave or, as the case may be, a certificate issued by the Health Insurance Company stating whether or not she has benefited from maternity leave (if she has benefited from maternity leave, the certificate will contain the period of the maternity leave and the amounts received each month);

• Applicant type declaration regarding the protection of personal data of both parents

In case of income derived from copyrights, the following shall be added:

• The sole declaration and the certificate of earned income issued by the tax authority (for the year prior to the child's birth and for the year of the child's birth);

• A certificate containing the gross income for each month, the withheld social contributions (C.A.S., unemployment, etc.), the withheld tax, and the net income for each month, for the year of the child's birth;

• A copy of the copyright agreement;

• A copy of the proof of suspension of the activity;

• A sworn statement, that in the following year, A.P.I.S.M.B. will present, within 30 days from the communication, the proof of the income actually achieved, issued by the financial administration.

In the case of income obtained from practicing medical or legal professions, the following shall be added:

• The sole declaration and the certificate of income, issued by the tax authority (for the year before the child's birth and for the year of the child's birth);

• Proof of activity interruption;

• A sworn declaration that in the following year, within 30 days from receiving the request, the evidence of the actual earned income, issued by the financial administration, will be submitted to A.P.I.S.M.B.

In the case of income obtained from civil agreements, commission contracts or other incomes assimilated to salaries, the following documents must be provided:

• The sole declaration and the certificate of earned income, issued by the tax authority  (for the year prior to the child's birth and for the year of the child's birth);

• A copy of the proof of activity suspension;

• A copy of the contract;

• a sworn declaration that in the following year, within 30 days from receiving the request, the evidence of the actual earned income, issued by the tax administration will be submitted to A.P.I.S.M.B.. 

In the case of income obtained as an individual authorized person, the following documents must be provided:

• the sole declaration and the certificate of earned income, issued by the tax authority  (for the year prior to the child's birth and for the year of the child's birth);

• a copy of the resolution from the Chamber of Commerce regarding the suspension of the activity;

• a sworn declaration that in the following year, within 30 days from receiving the request, the evidence of the actually earned income, issued by the tax authority, will be submitted to A.P.I.S.M.B. 

In case you have attended courses of pre-university / university / post-university education during the last 12 months of the last two years prior to the child's birth, the following documents must be provided:

• Certificates of earned income, issued by the tax authority (for the year prior to the child's birth and for the year of the child's birth);

• Certificate issued by the pre-university or, as the case may be, university education institution, attesting  to uninterrupted attendance of full-time courses in the year prior to and in the year of the child's birth.

The deadline for submitting the child care allowance application is 30 days before the start of the child care leave (suspension of activity) or 60 days from the end of maternity leave or from the date of the child's birth in the event that the conditions for maternity leave are not met.

If you are a parent on childcare leave, adoptive parent, individual entrusted with a child for adoption or providing foster care or emergency care, you can benefit from the professional insertion incentive (in Romanian, “stimulentul de inserție profesională”). 

In 2023, the value of the insertion incentive for people who return to work before the baby turns 6 months old is 1576 RON, and the value of the insertion incentive for those who return to the job after the child turns 6 months old will be 683 RON. 

To receive the insertion incentive, you must contact the social assistance department in the city where you live or the town hall (if the locality does not have a social assistance department). 

To receive the insertion incentive, you must have earned income for a period of 12 months in the last 2 years prior to birth, adoption approval, custody, or foster care placement. You may be eligible for the insertion incentive if you are in one of the following situations:

• sent on a permanent mission abroad;

• benefited from the monthly allowance provided in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus;

• accompanied the spouse sent on a permanent mission abroad;

• benefited from unemployment allowance or completed periods of internship contributing to the public pension system, under the conditions of collective dismissal;

• in the records of the county employment agencies, respectively of the municipality of Bucharest, in order to grant unemployment benefits;

• benefited from holidays and social health insurance allowances;

• benefited from medical leaves and allowances for the prevention of illnesses and the recovery of work capacity, exclusively for situations resulting from work accidents or occupational diseases;

• benefited from a disability pension;

• in the period of temporary interruption of the activity, at the initiative of the employer, without termination of the employment contract, for economic, technological, structural or similar reasons;

• benefited from leave and monthly allowance for raising the child;

• benefited from unpaid parental leave;

• is within the period of 3 months from the termination of a fixed-term employment contract and the start of another fixed-term employment contract;

• a doctoral student;

• performed or is performing military service on a voluntary basis, were mobilized or in captivity;

• attend, without interruption, the day courses of pre-university education, including the "second chance" program, or, as the case may be, university at the level of undergraduate or master's studies, as well as postgraduate education at master's level, organized according to the law, in the country or abroad, in a field recognized by the Ministry of Education, with the exception of the interruption of courses for medical reasons;

• in the period between the end of a form of pre-university education and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of pre-university education, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• in the period between the graduation of the day courses of the pre-university education, organized according to the law, and the start of the university education, day courses, in the same calendar year;

• in the period between the end of a form of university education, day courses, with or without a license or diploma exam, and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of university education, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• in the period between the end of a form of university education, at the level of bachelor's or master's university studies, as well as postgraduate education at the master's level, day courses, and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of university education at the level of bachelor's or master's studies, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• in the period between the end of a form of postgraduate education, day courses, and the beginning, in the same calendar year, of another form of postgraduate education, day courses, organized according to the law, attended without interruption;

• is within the period of 60 days from the completion of the compulsory education courses or, as the case may be, from the graduation of the day courses of the pre-university education, university at the undergraduate or master's level university studies and postgraduate at the master's level, organized according to the law, with or without a graduation exam, for employment or, as the case may be, unemployment, calculated starting from the 1st of the month following the completion of studies;

• benefited from unpaid leave to participate in training and professional development courses at the initiative of the employer or to which he gave his consent, organized in accordance with the law;

• in the period between the graduation of the day courses of the medical university, organized according to the law, with the license exam organized in the first session, and the start of the first residency after graduation.

The following documents are required to receive the integration allowance:

• A completed application form;

• Copies and original of identification documents for both parents;

• A copy and the original of the marriage certificate (if applicable);

• A copy and the original of the child's birth certificate;

• A copy and the original birth certificates of other dependent children (if applicable);

• Documents proving the applicant's status and relationship with the child (in the case of adopted or foster children);

• Proof of resuming activity;

• Employer-completed standard certificate; 

• Certificate from National Agency for Fiscal Administration ANAF for the year of the child's birth and for the previous year (in the case of people who earn income from independent activities);

• Proof issued by the employer or competent authorities regarding the earned income;

• Beneficiary’s declaration;

• Statement of the other parent;

• Bank account statement for people who want for their professional insertion incentive to be paid via bank transfer.

In order to facilitate access to the labor market,  the Romanian state recognizes pre-university or university diplomas obtained abroad through the evaluation and determination of the level, field, and/or specialization, in relation to the Romanian education system.

The competent authority for the recognition of studies is the National Centre for Recognition and Equivalence of Diplomas (CNRED), under the Ministry of Education. Following the evaluation, CNRED can automatically recognize the level/field of studies or through the taking of difference exams or other compensatory measures.

The general term for recognizing foreign study diplomas is 30 days, which can be extended if additional verifications are required.

Learn more about the recognition of study diplomas on the CNRED website:

• University Studies

• Pre-University Studies

Romanian citizens have the unrestricted right to work on the territory of Romania. Of course, if the job has certain requirements (for example, completing high school or the employee being qualified in a specific field), they must comply with them

Romanian citizens can be employed with:

• a part-time schedule - often, 4 hours/day or 20 hours/week;

• a full-time schedule - 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week.

They can also have multiple employment contracts, with one or more employers, as long as they do not exceed 12 hours/day.

The individual employment contract - It is mandatory for the individual employment contract to include information about:

• Your identity and the employee's identity (name, address, social security number, etc.);

• The location where the employee will carry out their work (e.g., employer's premises, fieldwork, remote work);

• The position the employee will hold and a description of the main job responsibilities (job description);

• The duration of the employment contract (fixed-term or indefinite);

• The starting date of work;

• The working hours (full-time, part-time);

• The salary the employee will receive for their work, the date on which it will be paid, and the payment method (e.g., bank transfer). The salary cannot be less than 3300 RON gross (1941 RON net) for full-time employment, 8 hours/day, or 40 hours/week;

• The duration of annual leave. The minimum duration of annual leave is 20 working days, as per the law;

• The criteria based on which the employee's performance will be evaluated;

• The conditions for granting notice and its duration;

• The duration and conditions of the probation period (if applicable);

• The specific risks associated with the position (if applicable).

The law requires the employer to conclude the employment contract in writing, in Romanian, in two copies. You have an obligation to inform the employee about all essential elements of the employment contract before its signing.

In Romania, you can hire a foreign citizen, usually based on a work permit.

As an employer, you need to fulfill certain general conditions to obtain the work permit:

• Be a legal entity, authorized individual or sole proprietor with activity in Romania;

• The activities carried out should be compatible with the position for which you request the employment of the foreigner;

• Have paid all obligations to the state budget for the last quarter;

• Have not been convicted of an offense under the Labor Code or offenses against the person;

• The annual quota for newly admitted workers to the labor market has not been exhausted;

• The person you want to hire does not have a ban on entering the territory of Romania or the European Union.

Depending on the activity your future employee is going to perform, you can request a work permit for:

• Permanent worker - a foreign national employed based on an individual employment contract for a determined or undetermined period;

• Trainee worker - a student from a third country conducting an internship in Romania;

• Au pair worker - a temporary foreign worker employed by a host family, performing light household and childcare activities;

• Seasonal worker - a foreign national who maintains residence in another country but temporarily works in Romania, typically in sectors such as agriculture, tourism, or the hospitality industry;

• Cross-border worker - a citizen of a neighboring country working in a border area of Romania;

• Highly skilled worker;

• Worker with special qualifications;

• Posted or transferred worker.

The requirements for obtaining the employment permit differ depending on the type of worker you are applying for. You can consult them all on the website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

Work Permit Visa - Once you have obtained the work permit, your future employee has 60 days to apply to one of the diplomatic missions or consular offices of Romania to obtain the work permit visa. You can find the list of countries for which an entry visa to Romania is not required on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Individual Employment Contract - It is mandatory that the individual employment contract includes information about:

• Your and the employee's identity (name, address, personal identification number, etc.);

• The place where the employee will carry out the work (e.g., employer's premises, fieldwork, work from home);

• The position the employee will hold and a description of the main job duties (job description);

• The duration of the employment contract (fixed-term or indefinite);

• The starting date of work;

• The working hours (full-time, part-time);

• The salary the employee will receive for their work, the date of payment, and the payment method (e.g., bank transfer). The salary cannot be less than 3300 RON gross (1941 RON net) for full-time employment, 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week;

• The duration of the annual leave. The minimum duration of annual leave is 20 working days, as per the law;

• The criteria based on which the employee's performance will be evaluated;

• The conditions for granting notice and its duration;

• The duration and conditions of the probation period (if applicable);

• The specific risks of the position (if applicable).

The law requires the employer to conclude the employment contract in writing, in Romanian, in two copies.

You have the obligation to inform the employee about all essential elements of the employment contract before signing. If the employee does not speak Romanian, you must inform them in a language they understand.

The following categories of foreigners do not need a work permit, among others:

• Beneficiaries of temporary protection;

• Asylum seeker, if more than 3 months have passed since the date on which he submitted his asylum application and he has not yet received a response (from the General Inspectorate for Immigration), without this delay being caused by the person in question;

• Refugees or beneficiaries of subsidiary protection;

• Persons tolerated on Romanian territory;

• Students in Romania;

• Individuals with the right to long-term residence in Romania;

• Family members of a Romanian citizen;

• Individuals whose free access to the labor market in Romania is established by international treaties with other states. For example, citizens of the Republic of Moldova, Serbia, and Ukraine fall under this category;

• Persons who are to engage in certain types of activities, such as teaching, artistic activities, management of a branch or representation of an international company, or activities requested by a Romanian authority.

To find out more about these exceptions, please visit the website of the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection.

Attention! Even if you have employed a foreigner who does not require a work permit to work in Romania, you are obliged to notify the General Inspectorate for Immigration within 10 days from the date your new employee started their activity.

Individual Employment Contract - It is mandatory that the individual employment contract includes information about:

• Your and the employee's identity (name, address, personal identification number, etc.);

• The place where the employee will carry out the work (e.g., employer's premises, fieldwork, work from home);

• The position the employee will hold and a description of the main job duties (job description);

• The duration of the employment contract (fixed-term or indefinite);

• The starting date of work;

• The working hours (full-time, part-time);

• The salary the employee will receive for their work, the date of payment, and the payment method (e.g., bank transfer). The salary cannot be less than 3300 RON gross (1941 RON net) for full-time employment, 8 hours/day or 40 hours/week;

• The duration of the annual leave. The minimum duration of annual leave is 20 working days, as per the law;

• The criteria based on which the employee's performance will be evaluated;

• The conditions for granting notice and its duration;

• The duration and conditions of the probation period (if applicable);

• The specific risks of the position (if applicable).

The law requires the employer to conclude the employment contract in writing, in Romanian, in two copies.

You have the obligation to inform the employee about all essential elements of the employment contract before signing. If the employee does not speak Romanian, you must inform them in a language they understand.

Employees have the right to be paid for the work they have done under the individual employment contract. 

Starting from October 1st, 2023, the minimum gross base salary is 3300 RON. After deducting the fees and taxes owed by you and the employee, the net salary (in hand) is at least 1941 RON for full-time work (8h/day or 40h/week).

When paying the salary, it is prohibited for your employer to discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, age, country of origin, race, color, ethnicity, religion, political choice, social origin, disability, family situation or responsibility, or because of your involvement in a union. For example, you are not allowed to pay a woman less, as her male colleagues with similar qualifications.

The salary can only be withheld in cases covered by law:

• Payment of family maintenance obligations (e.g., child support payments for your minor child, as determined by court order);

• Contributions and taxes owed to the Government;

• Compensation for damage caused to public property through illegal acts;

• Covering other debts and damages caused to the employer, as long as the debt is due and established by a final and irrevocable court decision.

Even in the case of any potential withholding, cumulative deductions from the salary cannot exceed half of the net salary each month.

Rest can take place: daily, weekly, and on public holidays.

Daily rest can take the form of meal breaks and other breaks, daily rest, and shift work.

Employees are entitled to meal breaks and other breaks if their daily working time exceeds 6 hours.

In the case of daily rest, employees are entitled to a minimum of 12 consecutive hours of rest between two working days or a minimum of 8 hours between shifts, in the case of shift work.

Weekly rest consists of a  48 consecutive hours break, usually falling on Saturdays or Sundays, although they can be granted on other days of the week to ensure the normal development of activities and the public interest. In such cases, employees will receive an additional payment.

There are exceptional situations in which days of rest are accumulated, in case of a continuous activity period, that cannot exceed 14 days..

Weekly rest can be suspended in cases of urgent work necessary in order to save lives or the employer's property, to prevent imminent accidents, or to eliminate the effects of such accidents to the materials, installations, or buildings of the unit. In such cases, double compensation is provided.

On legal holidays (January 1st and 2nd, January 24th - Unification Day of the Romanian Principalities, Good Friday, the last Friday before Easter, the first and second day of Easter, May 1st, June 1st, the first and second day of Pentecost (Whitsunday), August 15th - Assumption of Mary, November 30th - Saint Andrew, December 1st, the first and second day of Christmas, two days for each of the three annual religious holidays declared as such by legal religious denominations other than Christian denominations for their members), work is not performed.

The right to annual leave is guaranteed to all employees and cannot be waived. It is a minimum of 20 days per year, but it can be more depending on your employment contract. The compensation received during annual leave cannot be less than the base salary, entitlements, and permanent bonuses. Employees who work in difficult, dangerous, or harmful conditions, the visually impaired, other persons with disabilities, and young people under 18 years of age are entitled to an additional leave of at least 3 working days. Individuals undergoing in vitro fertilization procedures are also entitled to three days of leave.

All employees and employers must respect the principles of dignity and equality.

Every employee is entitled to suitable working conditions for the activity carried out, social protection, occupational safety and health, as well as respect for their dignity and conscience, without any discrimination.

The Labour Code explicitly provides for the employee's right to dignity at work. Violations of dignity at work can include:

• abusive, malicious, insulting behavior intended to intimidate the employee;

• unjustified criticism of the employee aimed at humiliating them;

• imposing tasks below the employee's qualifications;

• discretionary transfer without the employee's agreement;

• salary reduction;

• unjustified sanctions.

Violation of dignity at work can occur through both action and inaction. Inaction can take the form of neglecting to take the necessary measures to remedy the situation created by the employer or other employees.

Discrimination at work

Direct or indirect discrimination against an employee, discrimination by association, harassment, or victimization based on race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, language, religion, social origin, genetic features, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, chronic non-contagious illness, HIV infection, political opinion, family situation or responsibility, trade union affiliation, and belonging to a disadvantaged category are prohibited.

For example, discrimination occurs when you fire an employee because of his religion, even though he/she has fulfilled all of his/her job duties. Another case of discrimination is when you refuse to promote an employee because of his/her country of origin, even though he/she meet all the requirements for the position.

Sometimes discrimination can take the form of seemingly fair procedures or practices, but which create a disadvantage for certain groups of people.

ATTENTION! Employees who feel discriminated against can file complaints with the National Anti-Discrimination Council. You, as an employer, are not allowed to take action against them as a result of filing this complaint.

Harassment in the workplace

Harassment in the workplace is based on unequal relationships of power and control. This can take various forms, ranging from economic and emotional abuse to physical and sexual abuse.

Harassment in the workplace can occur not only at the workplace itself (e.g. at the factory or in the office), but also in work-related spaces, such as in the means of transport or in the accommodation provided by the employer, through online communication or by phone, during business trips or in work-related social activities.

Find out more about harassment and what you can do if you've been harassed here.

You must ensure the safety and health of employees by taking all necessary measures.

Among your main obligations are:

• to provide training for all employees regarding workplace risks and prevention. Such training must be conducted upon hiring and whenever there are changes in the type of work, equipment used, etc.;

• to provide individual protection equipment free of charge to employees working under hazardous conditions (eg helmet, boots or protective gloves). If the equipment becomes damaged or loses its protective qualities, you must replace it;

• to take all necessary protective measures to prevent workplace risks and other hazardous incidents. For instance, every workspace must be equipped with a fire extinguisher and have an evacuation plan in case of a fire.

If an employee have suffered a workplace accident resulting in injury, he/she has the right to receive free medical services until his/her health is restored. Additionally, he/she is entitled to receive compensation that will support him/her financially until he/she is fit to work again.

Work-related accidents typically occur while the employee is working. However, the following situations can also be considered work-related accidents:

• accidents that happen during the commute from home to the workplace;

• accidents that occur while traveling for work purposes, both within Romania and abroad;

• accidents that happen outside of working hours but are related to the job, such as transporting tools or changing work attire;

• accidents that occur during professional training programs, and so on.

You can pay your employees the gym membership, for practicing sports and physical education, up to the equivalent in lei of the sum of 100 euros per year (tax deduction).

The rights employees have include:

• the right to take part in determining and improving working conditions and the working environment;

• the right to collective and individual negotiation;

• the right to participate in collective actions;

• the right to form or join a trade union.

Employers must inform and consult employee representatives regarding:

• the development of the company's activities and economic situation; 

• structure, and likely evolution of employment within the company; 

• decisions that may result in significant changes in work organization, contractual relations, or employment relationships;

• specific procedures for informing and consulting in cases of collective dismissals and the protection of employees' rights in the event of the transfer of the enterprise.

The information and consultation must be provided at an appropriate time, manner, and with relevant content to enable employee representatives to adequately examine the issue and prepare for consultation, as well as to formulate their perspective.

A strike is an organized and voluntary cessation of work at the workplace, with the purpose of compelling the employer or authorities to fulfill certain demands.

A strike can only be initiated if all possibilities for resolving the collective labor dispute (conciliation) have been exhausted beforehand. Participation of employees in a strike is based on their free will. No employee can be forced to participate or not to participate in a strike. During the strike, your employment contract will be suspended. Therefore, you will not be paid during the strike and will not have access to other employee rights, except for health insurance.

You cannot dismiss or otherwise penalize employees for participating in a strike.

You are required to ensure the participation of all employees in professional training programs, and to cover all expenses, at least once every 2 years if you have at least 21 employees, or once every 3 years if you have fewer than 21 employees.

The training can be carried out through the following forms:

• participation in courses organized by the employer or by professional training providers from the country or abroad;

• professional adaptation internships tailored to the job requirements and workplace;

• internships and specialization programs within the country and abroad;

• workplace apprenticeship;

• individualized training;

• other training forms agreed upon between the employer and the employee.

If you have paid for the vocational training programs of one of your employees, he/she is not allowed to resign for a period of time, which will be noted in an addendum to the employment contract.

If the employee chooses to resign earlier than the date provided in the additional act, he/she will have to pay part of the value of the courses attended, proportional to the length of time he/she had to work. For example, if you paid 5000 RON for a professional training course, and the employee was supposed to stay 2 years in his/her job, but he/she only stayed one, he/she will have to pay 2500 RONin case of resignation.

The employee can also ask you to participate in a specific training program. You must decide on his/her request within 15 days. At the same time, you will decide on the conditions under which you will allow the employee to participate in the form of professional training, including whether you will bear all or part of the cost caused by it.

Termination of the contract can be of two types: for reasons related to the employee (for example, for not fulfilling job duties) or for reasons unrelated to your employee’s conduct (for example, budgetary constraints).

It is forbidden to fire employees based on the following criteria:

• criteria based on race, citizenship, ethnicity, color, language, religion, social origin, genetic features, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability, chronic non-contagious illness, HIV infection, political opinion, family situation, or responsibility, membership or activity in a trade union, membership in a disadvantaged category;

• for the exercise, under the conditions established by law, of the right to strike and trade union rights;

• for exercising the right to information regarding the terms of the employment contract, informing the employee who will work abroad, the probationary period, the main rights and obligations of the employee, the duration of the probationary period, and professional training programs;

• during temporary incapacity for work established by a medical certificate in accordance with the law;

• during the suspension of activities due to the establishment of quarantine;

• during pregnancy, to the extent that the employer was aware of this fact prior to issuing the dismissal decision;

• during maternity leave;

• during parental leave for the care of a child up to 2 years of age or, in the case of a child with a disability, up to the age of 3;

• during leave for taking care of a sick child up to 7 years of age or, in the case of a child with a disability, for intermittent illnesses, until the age of 18;

• during annual leave;

• during paternity leave and caregiver's leave, or during absence from work due to emergencies.

Dismissal for reasons related to the employee may be carried out if:

• he/she has committed a serious offense or repeated breaches of work discipline rules or rules established by the employment contract, as a disciplinary measure;

• he/she is under preventive arrest or house arrest for a period longer than 30 days;

• Based on a decision of competent medical expertise authorities, the physical and/or mental incapacity of the employee is preventing them from performing their work duties;

• He/she does not meet the professional requirements of the position in which he/she is employed.

The decision must be motivated by facts and by law and must include details regarding the deadline for contestation and the court where it can be contested.

You have an obligation to present the employee with other vacant positions within the company that are compatible with his/her professional training or, as the case may be, with the work capacity, as established by the occupational health doctor. You can also seek the support of the territorial employment agency (AJOFM) for the redistribution of the emplpyee, corresponding to his/her professional training and/or, if applicable, work capacity as established by the occupational health doctor. 

The employee has 3 working days from the employer’s announcement to express the written consent regarding the new proposed position; if the employee does not provide his/her consent within this timeframe, the dismissal is carried out.

Dismissal for reasons unrelated to the employee represents the termination of the employment contract due to the elimination of the job position, for one or more reasons not related to the employee (for example, due to the liquidation of an enterprise). The employee is entitled to active measures to combat unemployment and may benefit from compensations as provided by law and the applicable collective labor agreement.

The dismissed persons benefit from the right to a notice that cannot be less than 20 working days.

The dismissal decision is communicated to the employee in writing and must contain:

• the reasons that determine the dismissal;

• the duration of the notice;

• the criteria for establishing the order of priorities (in the case of collective layoffs);

• the list of all available jobs in the unit and the term in which the employees are to choose to fill a vacant job.

People who believe they have been unfairly dismissed can challenge the dismissal decision in court and obtain compensation equal to unpaid wages or reinstatement to their former job.

In the case of collective dismissals, you have the obligation to initiate timely consultations with the labor union or employee representatives in order to reach an agreement. These consultations should cover at least the following aspects: methods and means to avoid dismissals or reduce the number of employees to be dismissed, and mitigation of the consequences of dismissals through social measures (support for retraining or professional conversion of dismissed employees).

The employer must provide them with all relevant information and notify them in writing about:

• the total number and categories of employees;

• the reasons for the dismissals;

• the number and categories of employees who will be affected by the dismissals;

• the criteria used to establish the order of priority for dismissals;

• measures considered to limit the number of dismissals;

• measures to mitigate the consequences of dismissals and the compensations to be provided to the dismissed employees;

• the date or period when the dismissals will occur;

• the deadline by which the labor union or employee representatives can make proposals to avoid or reduce the number of dismissals.

People who were affected by the collective dismissal, have the right to be rehired with priority for the reinstated position in the same activity, without examination, competition, or probation period, within 45 days. In the situation where the same activities are resumed within 45 days, the employer will send a written communication to the employees who were dismissed from the positions whose activities are being resumed, under the same conditions of professional competence, informing them about the resumption of activities. They have a maximum of 5 calendar days from the date of announcement to express their written consent regarding the offered job.

Persons being dismissed are entitled to a notice period of no less than 20 working days.

The decision to terminate the employment is communicated to the employee in writing and must necessarily include:

• the reasons for the dismissal;

• the duration of the notice period;

• the criteria for determining the order of priority (in case of collective redundancies);

• the list of all available job positions within the company and the deadline by which employees must choose to occupy a vacant job position.

People who believe they have been unfairly dismissed can challenge the dismissal decision in court and obtain compensation equal to unpaid wages or reinstatement to their former job.