Until Thursday (01.05.2024), the Easter bonus must be paid to employees in the private sector, as informed by the Labor Inspection, which will conduct inspections to identify any violators.
All employees who are paid a monthly salary or daily wage and work either full-time or part-time and have an employment contract, either fixed-term or indefinite, are entitled to receive from their employers an Easter bonus equal to half a monthly salary for those paid on a monthly basis and 15 daily wages for those paid on a daily basis. In any case, the duration of the employment relationship is important in order to calculate the final amount.
A prerequisite for the payment of the Easter bonus 2024 is the existence of employment (employment relationship) of the private sector employee during the period from 01-01-2024 to 30-04-2024. The basis for calculating the bonus is the regular earnings on the 15th day before Easter. It is clarified that from April 1, 2024, a new statutory minimum wage and a new statutory minimum daily wage apply to those paid according to Ministerial Decision 25058/29.03.2024 (Government Gazette 1974/2024), calculated based on their seniority, according to Circular No. 88073/2023 of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security.
For employees whose employment relationship was terminated before the above-mentioned date, either due to dismissal or voluntary resignation, but within the calculation period of the bonus, i.e., from 01-01-2024 to 30-04-2024, the earnings on the day of termination of the relationship are taken into account. This means that a dismissed employee in the private sector who is paid a salary (daily or hourly) can calculate the Easter bonus 2024 that will be paid to them as follows:
• 1/15 of half the monthly salary for every 8 calendar days of the duration of the employment relationship if it concerns an employee paid on a monthly basis.
• One daily wage for every 8 calendar days of the duration of the employment relationship if it concerns an employee paid on a daily basis.
Employees who worked for a period of less than 8 days and were subsequently dismissed are entitled to a proportional fraction of the Easter bonus.
The Easter bonus 2024 cannot be paid in kind but only in cash.
If employers do not comply with the specified period within which they must settle their obligations, they will suffer the consequences of the law, as failure to pay the bonus constitutes a criminal offense.
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On their part, employees and their unions can make relevant complaints, anonymously or anonymously, through the hotline for complaints 1555 or online via https://www.hli.gov.gr/asfaleia-kai-ygeia/ergazomenoi-asfaleia-kai-ygeia/katangelia/katangelia-3/. If employees or unions appeal to the Labor Inspection, a relevant report will be drawn up. The report is forwarded to the Prosecutor for criminal prosecution against the employer or its legal representative, in the case of a legal entity (company, organization, etc.). Additionally, it is forwarded to the respective police department for initiating immediate proceedings.
Furthermore, employees or their unions have the right to file a lawsuit directly with the competent police department and request the application of immediate proceedings. It is noted that the complaint report should contain, as accurately as possible, the details of the business and the residence of the employer, so that the immediate proceedings can be easily initiated.
The Labor Inspection will conduct inspections at businesses across the country during the holiday period and will enforce the law in cases where violations of labor legislation are identified.
In case of non-payment of the Easter bonus 2024 within the specified deadline, as provided in the above-mentioned provisions, Labor Inspectors will intervene immediately, conducting inspections and labor disputes (Article 23b of Law 4144/2013), and will be fully prepared to apply the relevant provisions, including the procedure of immediate proceedings, as provided by Article 417 et seq. of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
For more information, please visit the website of the Labor Inspection at the following link: https://www.hli.gov.gr/ergasiakes-scheseis/nomothesia-ergasiakes-scheseis/amoivi/doro-pascha/dikaiouchoi-chronos-katavolis/.
Also, on the website of the Information Center for Employees and Unemployed of GSEE (kepea.gr), you can find detailed information as well as the online application for calculating the Easter bonus 2024: https://www.kepea.gr/calc-doro-pasxa.php
