Social Security
The Greek social security system operates on a compulsory, contributory basis and is primarily administered by the Unified Social Security Fund (e-EFKA), which covers the vast majority of employees in both the private and public sectors. Employers and employees are required to make mandatory social security contributions, calculated as a percentage of the employee’s gross remuneration. The employer is responsible for withholding and remitting these contributions to the competent authorities. Contribution rates vary depending on the type of coverage but generally encompass main pension, supplementary pension, healthcare, unemployment insurance, and other benefits. The principal social security contributions are calculated at a rate of 35.16% of gross salary, of which 13.37% is borne by the employee and 21.79% by the employer. These rates apply to monthly income up to a cap of €7,761.94; no social security contributions are due on any amount exceeding this threshold.
The system provides a broad range of benefits, including old-age pensions, disability pensions, as well as healthcare coverage, which grants access to public healthcare services and reimbursement of certain medical expenses. In addition, employees are entitled to sickness benefits, maternity benefits, and unemployment benefits, the latter administered by the Public Employment Service (DYPA).
Supplementary insurance schemes may apply in certain sectors or professions, providing additional pension or welfare benefits. Employers may also offer private insurance or supplementary benefit schemes, although these are not required by law and depend on company policy or collective agreements.
Healthcare and Insurances
Healthcare contributions constitute part of the overall social security contributions at a combined rate of 6.10% (2.05% employee / 4.05% employer). Additionally, employers may establish private insurance or pension schemes for their employees; such schemes are voluntary and remain at the employer’s discretion.
Required Leave
a. Holidays and Annual Leave
Public holidays in Greece are divided into mandatory (official) and optional (non-mandatory) holidays, depending on whether businesses are legally required to suspend operations. Mandatory public holidays include New Year’s Day (1 January), Epiphany (6 January), Independence Day (25 March), Easter Monday, Labour Day (1 May), the Assumption of the Virgin Mary (15 August), “Ohi” Day (28 October), Christmas Day (25 December) and the second day of Christmas (26 December). Optional holidays include the Three Holy Hierarchs day (30 January), which mainly concerns the education sector, and Holy Spirit Day (Whit Monday), which is typically observed in the public sector and in some private sector activities depending on collective agreements or established practice.
The annual leave entitlement depends on the employee’s length of service, ranging from 20-26 days. During the first two calendar years, annual leave accrual is proportionate to the employee’s period of service. As of the third calendar year, the employee is entitled to full annual leave as of 1 January. Employees must use their annual leave entitlement by the end of March of the following calendar year.
Failure by the employer to grant full annual leave entitles the employee to compensation equal to 100% of the corresponding leave emoluments (if attributable to the employee) or 200% (if attributable to the employer). Any breach by the employer is also subject to administrative and criminal sanctions. The legal provisions on annual leave are of mandatory nature and cannot be waived. The statute of limitation for employee claims related to annual leave entitlements is 5 years.
b. Maternity / Paternity Leave
Maternity leave
The total duration of maternity leave is 17 weeks, of which 8 weeks at minimum must be taken before the expected delivery date and the remaining 9 weeks after delivery. If delivery takes place earlier than the expected date, the remaining leave must be granted subsequent to delivery so that a total of 17 weeks is completed. If delivery takes place after the expected date, the employee is still entitled to the remaining 9 weeks of leave following delivery. Thus, in this case, the maternity leave is prolonged.
The part of the maternity leave allocated after the delivery/childbirth (i.e. 9 weeks) is extended to presumptive (surrogacy) and adoptive mothers (for children up to 8 years old), while this is also extended to same-sex spouses upon a common statement of the couple about the person that will make use of this leave.
During maternity leave, the employer is obliged to pay to the employee an amount equal to one month’s salary if one year of employment has lapsed or half a month if it has not. From that amount the employer is entitled to deduct any amount that the employee receives directly from the Social Security Fund (e-EFKA), namely the amount of maternity allowance paid to the employee during such period. Apart from the above salary payment by the employer, for the remaining period of the leave the employee will receive from e-EFKA a maternity allowance and from the Unemployment Office (DYPA) a supplementary allowance which is in principle equal to the difference between the employee’s regular emoluments and the maternity allowance paid by e-EFKA for the period during which she does not receive any payment by her employer.
Paternity leave
Fathers are entitled to 14 working days paid leave per childbirth, which can be granted in 2 ways: a) 2 days before the estimated childbirth and the rest 12 days partially or altogether within 30 days from date of birth or b) all days after the childbirth within 30 days from date of birth. Paternity leave is also granted in case of adoption of child up to 8 years old.
The paternity leave also applies to same-sex parents upon a common statement of the couple about the person that will make use of this leave.
c. Sickness Leave
Employees who are prevented from work due to illness are entitled to continued pay on the condition that they have been providing services to the employer for at least 10 days. The duration of this entitlement depends on seniority: (a) employees who have completed 1 year of service are entitled to pay for 1 month’s absence; (b) employees who have not completed 1 year of service are entitled to pay for half a month’s absence.
From a social security perspective, for the first 3 days of illness, the employer pays 50% of the employee’s agreed daily wage, without any further amount being due from EFKA. If the absence exceeds 3 days, the employee is entitled to claim sickness benefit from e-EFKA, and the employer may deduct from the amount payable to the employee any amounts received from the social security authorities.
d. Disability Leave
Severely disabled employees (≥50% disability rate) are entitled to additional leave of six working days.
e. Any Other Required or Typically Provided Leave(s)
Greek law provides for a number of special types of leave, such as childcare leave, parental leave and respective special entitlements for parents/carers, wedding leave, student leave, among others. Under the current regime, employers are obliged to declare, on a monthly basis, to the ERGANI platform all types of leave (including annual leave, family-related leaves, unpaid leave etc.) taken by their employees.
Pensions: Mandatory and Typically Provided
The public pension contribution totals 20% (6.67% employee / 13.33% employer), with supplementary pension contributions at 6% (3% each). TEKA provides state supplementary pensions primarily for individuals born on or after 1 January 2004 and new labour market entrants from 1 January 2022. Private pension schemes are voluntary and at the employer’s discretion.
