Work

Am I allowed to work?

In Greece, women have the same rights to work and payment as men. Women also have equal access to education, vocational training, employment and work development opportunities. As a refugee, two months after registering your asylum application and getting an asylum applicant card, you have automatically the right to work. Once you get asylum you have the same labour rights as Greek citizens, so you can even start your own businesses.

Attention: In order to work officially, you will need: a tax number (AFM), a social insurance number (PAAYPA or AMKA), a unique ID number (AMA) from the National Service for Social Insurance (EFKA), and a Greek bank account. You will also need to report to your future employer your contact details (phone and address) and some other details. For the issuance of the AMA you generally need to hold a refugee passport as well as for opening a bank account.

Attention: If you are aged 15 years or older, and you have the consent of your parents, the persons who exercise your parental care, or your legal guardian, you may be legally employed in Greece. Under the age of 15 years work is prohibited with only very few exceptions.

Where can I find support for work related issues?

You can seek help in Athens for work related questions, for finding a job or classes/trainings here:

• Employability program for women in Athens, GENERATION 2.0, Book an appointment: Tel.. +30 2130884499, E-mail: k.kapnisi@g2red.org (Monday-Thursday 10-17) -

• Employability program for young women (18-35 years), Action Aid, Petras Street 93, Athens, Tel. +30 2155557345 (Tuesdays 16-18) - in Greek or English

• Employability program and legal representation for work related issues, Solidarity Now, Domokou Street 2, Athens (opposite the Larissa train station), Call +30-210 8220883 or visit directly on Monday-Friday 9-17 -
  English, Greek, French, Arabic, Lingala, Dari, Ukrainian, Urdu, Pashto, Farsi

• Employability program, ADAMA centre run by Caritas, Paraskevopoulou Street 3, Athens, book an appointment here: +30 6945267788 - English, Arabic, French, Farsi, Sorani, Ukrainian

• Employability program for persons using the social services in the Social Centre Caritas in Neos Kosmos, Rene Pio Street 2a, Athens, book an appointment here to register with the program: neoskosmoscenter@caritas.gr - Greek, English, French, Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian

• Employability program, Pyxida Intercultural Center (belonging to GCR), Solomou Street 20 (Exarchia area), Athens, contact in Whatsapp: Arabic + 3 0 6 9 3 6 5 4 3 4 9 3 , F a r s i / D a r i + 3 0 6 9 0 7 0 3 5 8 3 2 ,
  Lingala/ French +30 6948065771, Kurmanji / Sorani +30 6907035845, Turkish +30 6936543491

• Employability support at the IRIDA women centre, Venizelou Street 59, Thessaloniki. Tel. +30 2311296392 or message on WhatsApp on +30 6907289836. Email: irida@iridacenter.org. Languages spoken: Arabic,
  Farsi, Ukrainian, French, Greek and English

What are my rights as a worker in Greece?

Women should be treated without gender discrimination equal to men. Your employer is responsible to take necessary measures for the protection of your health and safety. You have a right to receive the agreed amount of money (wage) in exchange for your work and you have a right to the regulated days of vacation as set in your contract. The work relationship between you and the employer is manifested in a work contract setting out the work times, working hours, your role/profession, the place of work and that includes the period of employment with the starting date, the salary and extra benefits and the information of your boss and you.

Both of you have to sign it and then it is filed to the competent government offices.

As for all employees in Greece, a full-time job should not exceed 40 hours per week and employees should get paid overtime if they work more than this as well as extra rates for night work, work on Sundays or public holidays. There is part of your wage that will be reduced for the tax rate. You have a right to sick pay and pensions and an annual leave of minimum 20 working days. Also law provides that in case of work that exceeds 4 hours per day, the employee is entitled to a break of 15-30 minutes that is not considered working time and is not paid.

Attention: Any work should be paid. To have an orientation, the official minimum wage for a full-time job in Greece (40 hours per week) is currently: 780 Euros - including insurance fees. Yet, even many Greeks are
paid less.

Attention: Many employers try to prevent any possible costs and thus declare either none of your work officially or only parts of it (less hours). If you work unofficially or partly unofficially you have no health insurance, maternity leave and childcare support, no Christmas/Easter presents (extra money) or receiving your normal wage during the annual leave/sick leave. You are less protected in case of a labour accident or rights violations at work. You may not have also regulated holidays, get no pension once retiring, and do not get the paid insurance stamps that prove your total of work days (in Greek: “ENSIMA”) that are crucial if you plan to stay in Greece also in future and apply for long-term residency or Greek nationality one day. Also uninsured / unofficial work can be prosecuted by law - affecting possibly both the employer (boss) and the employee (you).

What else should I know if I want to start working in Greece?

If you have an income and are legally residing in Greece, you have the obligation to make an annual income tax declaration and submit it for the previous year. You should make a tax declaration starting from the second year of stay in Greece even if you have no job and income as you may need this to open a bank account, for HELIOS program, to apply for the Minimum Income (social benefits) or other bureaucratic steps. You can submit the declaration online but you have to be registered in the TAXISnet (online Greek tax statement system). So even if you already have a Greek tax number (AFM), you will first need to apply online for internet access codes. You need those codes also for registering as unemployed, receiving an unemployment card and getting a free metro card for Athens. If you need help, the following organisations have accountants assisting people with their tax codes and tax declarations:

• Caritas Social Spot - Athens
  You have to make an appointment by emailing first at: neoskosmoscenter@caritas.gr
  Services are available in Greek, English, French, Ukrainian, Farsi and Arabic.

• Action Aid - Athens
  Visit here: Petras street 93, near the train station in Athens, MondayFriday 9:00-17:00 or call Tel. +30 2155557345. For services, appointments must be booked - in person or by phone. You should speak Greek or English or bring along someone to translate.

• IRIDA women centre - Thessaloniki
  Visit here: Venizelou Street 59, Thessaloniki. Tel. +30 2311296392 or message on WhatsApp on +30-6907289836. Email: irida@iridacenter.org. Languages spoken: Arabic, Farsi, Ukrainian, French, Greek and English Sometimes a special license or additional formalities are necessary for certain types of employment. For instance, if you wish to work in a store that ensures hygienic standards, such as restaurants, taverns, cafeterias, you will be expected to have a health certificate and a special work permit issued by a police department.

I work officially but was mistreated by my employer. What can I do?

As an employee in Greece, you have the right to report any mistreatment in terms of payments, bonuses, overtime payments, violence or sexual harassment and benefits (amongst others) to a Department of the Greek Ministry of Labour called “Labour Inspectorates” (Σώµα Επιθεώρησης Εργασίας, in Greek). Complaints can be submitted anonymously but should include basic information about the employer such as: name and tax number of the company or employer, address of the place of inspection and the issues/ problems to be investigated during the inspection. You can submit your complaint anonymously by calling the citizen service line 1555 (best in Greek language!), online here: https://apps.sepenet.gr/portal/anonymous or in person by visiting or calling the competent Inspection Department. You can also complain before the Greek Ombudsman office. (See section„Reporting rights abuses by the state“)

Attention: Not being paid (salary, presents, insurance etc) is considered a crime and you have the right to report your employee, in order to put more pressure on them, and get what you legally deserve. Remember that the burden of proof is on your side. Consult a lawyer specialised in work law or an employability advisor in order to understand how big or small your chances are and whether or not it makes sense for you to invest time and money to file a complaint and/or to bring your case to the court.

I work unofficially (without a contract) and didn’t get paid. What can I do?

Even if you worked irregularly you have rights as a labourer and you can try to claim them with the help of a lawyer. Also undocumented workers have a right to be paid their wages! You can access the government’s complaints mechanisms such as Labour Inspectorates or the Greek Ombudsman and legal procedures to reclaim your wage or your rights on safety and health protection at work, maternity leave and non-discrimination etc. (see answer to the above question). However, before court the burden of proving the
existence of a working relationship still largely falls on you (the worker).

Furthermore, specific residence permits should be issued to workers who experienced serious exploitation at work. (See section „Reporting a crime“)

I am a single mother but need to work. Where could I leave my children while working?

You can subscribe your child to a public kindergarten, but there are not sufficient places in Greece, which also leaves many Greek mothers without help. Seek the help of a social worker to get information and help you with the procedure. However, if you live in a camp it may be more difficult to find a place nearby or even impossible.

Attention: Never leave your small children alone and unattended at home. They won’t be safe and you may be reported and charged for “child neglect”. (See section „Reporting a crime“)

Do I have a right to take time off from work as a mother with minor children?

Yes! If you officially employed in Greece, Greek law provides amongst other things for:

• 17 weeks of maternity leave starting eight weeks before the expected delivery date while maintaining full insurance from her employer
• a newborn’s mother is entitled to breastfeeding and childcare leave, which includes different options of reduced work time or more vacation days special maternity leave for up to 6 months
• limited unpaid childcare leaves while the child is still a toddler
• 4 days of paid leave per year per child to attend teacher-parent meetings if your child is younger than 16 and attends school in Greece between kindergarten and high school level.