Author: Klára Sleglova
The year 2025 brings further significant changes in employment law in the Czech Republic. These changes respond to current labour market trends and reflect the needs of both employers and employees. Below is a detailed overview of these changes and their practical implications.
The first significant change is the introduction of self-scheduling, allowing employees to set their own working hours by mutual agreement with their employer. This change addresses the increasing demand for flexibility in working conditions. The application of self-scheduling requires a written agreement that should set out the specific conditions (e.g., maximum shift length, compulsory breaks, no working at night and on weekends). Employers must ensure such agreements do not disrupt operational needs and comply with the Labour Code requirements, such as maintaining accurate records of working hours.
In 2025, the flexible amendment to the Labour Code is expected to take effect, aiming to enhance the adaptability of employment relationships to evolving market conditions. Among the most key changes is the extension of the probationary period from 3 months to 4 months and for managerial employees from 6 months to 8 months. Furthermore, a change in the commencement of the termination period will be introduced. Unlike nowadays, when the notice period starts on the first day of the month following the delivery of the termination notice, it will commence from the date of delivery of the termination notice. Another change with the flexible amendment is the possibility to employ minors from 14 years of age or with incomplete compulsory education. This will be possible during the main summer holidays. These juvenile employees will only be able to do light work that does not put them at risk. There are other conditions concerning the work of these minors, for example, that the length of the shift must not exceed 7 hours per day and 35 hours per week. Finally, it will also be possible, based on an agreement between the employer and the employee, to pay salaries in a foreign currency if the employees are in any way closely connected to another country. The conversion rate will be based on the current Czech National Bank conversion rate.
The flexible amendment also brings a number of changes related to parental leave, like an exception to the rule that fixed-term employment can only be repeated twice is to be introduced. This newly introduced exception will allow an unlimited number of repetitions of fixed-term employment relationships in cases where the employee is temporarily absent due to maternity or parental leave, but the total period may not exceed 9 years. In the context of parental leave, another exemption will be introduced. It will be possible for an employee to perform work for the same employer under an agreement to perform work or an agreement to complete a job while on parental leave, even if the work is of the same type as specified in their employment contract.
Another major change is the minimum wage indexation mechanism. Instead of being determined annually by government decree, the minimum wage will be tied to the projected average wage. In 2025, it will be 42.2% of the average wage. Every two years, the government will issue a regulation with an updated percentage that the minimum wage is expected to reach in relation to the forecast average wage.