Employee Benefits in Greece: A 2026 Guide for Employers

What Are the Mandatory Employee Benefits in Greece?

Mandatory employee benefits in Greece include e-EFKA (Electronic National Social Security Entity) and TEKA (the Auxiliary Capital Insurance Fund) social insurance, minimum pay, paid vacation, statutory holiday allowances, sick-pay rules, family leave, public holidays, working-time protections, and severance. The table below summarizes the main statutory obligations employers should budget for.

Social Insurance Through e-EFKA and TEKA

Most dependent employees in Greece are covered by mandatory e-EFKA social insurance, the National Organization For Health Care Services (EOPYY) healthcare, the Greek Public Employment Service (DYPA) employment-policy contributions, and supplementary pension insurance through e-EFKA or TEKA. The standard headline package is 21.79% employer and 13.37% employee up to the 2026 monthly ceiling of EUR 7,761.94. The employer total comprises main pension 13.33%, supplementary pension 3.00%, healthcare 4.05%, unemployment 1.20%, insolvency 0.15%, and social-policy contribution 0.06%.

Paid Vacation Entitlement

Paid annual vacation is due from the start of employment on a prorated basis. Under Emergency Law 539/1945, Law 4808/2021, and the National General Collective Labour Agreement 2008-2009, a 5-day-week employee receives 20 to 26 working days depending on service. A 6-day-week employee receives 24 to 31 working days. The statutory vacation allowance is paid with annual leave and is capped at 1/2 monthly salary or 13 daily wages.

Sickness Pay Support

Greek sick-pay rules combine employer wage protection with e-EFKA cash benefits. If sickness lasts more than 3 days, e-EFKA benefits can begin from day 4 where insurance conditions are met. The employer pays half wages for the first 3 days, then tops up the gap between normal wages and the social-security benefit for up to 13 days where service is up to 1 year, or up to 26 days / 1 month after 1 year of service, under the Greek Civil Code, Law 178/1967, and Law 3655/2008.

Maternity Protection

Ordinary maternity leave is 119 days, equal to 17 weeks: 8 weeks before childbirth and 9 weeks after childbirth. Employer impediment pay, e-EFKA maternity benefit, and DYPA supplementation may apply where conditions are met. Greece also provides 9 months of special maternity-protection leave, paid by DYPA at a monthly amount equal to the statutory minimum wage plus proportional holiday and leave allowances. Up to 7 months may be transferred to the father or other eligible parent.

Father Birth Leave

Paternity leave is 14 working days, paid by the employer. The right applies to every employed father with no service condition and regardless of family status. Leave may be taken as 2 days before the expected birth and 12 days after birth, or as all 14 days after birth. It also applies on adoption or foster placement of a child up to age 8 from the child's entry into the family, under Law 4808/2021.

Compulsory Holidays

Greece has 9 national compulsory public holidays: New Year's Day, Epiphany, Greek Independence Day, Easter Monday, Labour Day, Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Ochi Day, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day / Synaxis of the Mother of God. Work on Sundays and compulsory public holidays is paid with an additional 75% premium, calculated on 1/25 of the statutory monthly salary or on the daily wage, in addition to wages otherwise due.

Employment Termination Payments

Different end-of-service formulas apply by trigger. Employer termination of an indefinite-term contract after 12 months can require 2 to 12 months' regular earnings, with 50% due if statutory notice is given. Grandfathered additional severance may add 1 to 12 months, capped at EUR 2,000 for that additional portion. Departure with employer consent after 15 years can trigger 50% of no-notice severance. Full old-age-pension retirement conditions trigger 40% if supplementary-insured or 50% if not. Fixed-term contracts normally end without severance at expiry.

Special Statutory Payroll Charges

Additional statutory contributions apply to specific groups. Heavy and unhealthy occupations can add employer 1.40% and employee 2.20% for main pension, plus employer 0.75% and employee 1.25% for supplementary pension where applicable. Underground mining, lignite, underwater, and specified DEH work can add employer 2.70% and employee 4.30% for main pension, plus supplementary rates where applicable. Occupational-risk enterprises pay an additional 1.00%. Working pensioners may owe an e-EFKA resource, and covered professional employees may owe a 4.00% lump-sum branch contribution or fixed classes of EUR 30.29, EUR 36.12, or EUR 43.10.

Working Hours, Overtime, and Minimum Wage in Greece

Normal full-time work in Greece is 40 hours per week: generally 8 hours per day over 5 days or 6 hours 40 minutes per day over 6 days. Statutory overwork runs above 40 hours up to 45 weekly hours in a 5-day week or 48 weekly hours in a 6-day week. Legal overtime is allowed up to 4 hours per day and 150 hours per year; total daily work may reach 13 hours if 11 consecutive hours of daily rest and the 48-hour average weekly limit are respected. Overwork is paid at \+20%, legal overtime at \+40%, approved excess at \+60%, illegal overtime at \+120%, and Sunday or holiday work at \+75%, under Ministry working-time rules. The minimum wage is EUR 920.00 per month for full-time white-collar employees and EUR 41.09 per day for blue-collar workers.

What Supplemental Benefits Do Greece Employers Typically Offer?

Supplemental benefits in Greece are market practices, not statutory entitlements unless included in an employment contract, collective agreement, or employer policy. Employers commonly use them to improve retention and compete for professional talent.

Private Medical and Dental Plans

Private medical coverage is a common market norm for professional and managerial roles in Greece, often positioned as a supplement to public healthcare rather than a replacement. Employers may add dental, vision, group life, or accident coverage depending on role seniority and hiring competition. Plan design should be documented clearly so employees understand eligibility, dependents, waiting periods, and whether the benefit is contractual or discretionary.

Meal Vouchers and Everyday Allowances

Meal vouchers, commuting support, phone allowances, and small lifestyle benefits are typical supplemental perks in Greece, especially in office-based or hybrid roles. Employers often use these benefits to add practical value without changing base salary. Tax and social-security treatment can depend on the form, value, and documentation of the benefit, so payroll teams should review each allowance before launch.

Wellness, Mental Health, and Skills Budgets

Many competitive employers offer wellness programs, employee assistance support, mental-health resources, fitness subsidies, or learning budgets. These are market norms rather than legal requirements. For international teams, employers usually define an annual policy, eligibility rules, reimbursement evidence, and approval workflows so benefits remain consistent across remote, hybrid, and office-based employees.

Hybrid Work Practices

Flexible work arrangements are widely used for professional roles in Greece, particularly in technology, shared services, and regional business functions. Typical policies address office attendance, equipment, expense reimbursement, data security, and working-time recording. Because Greek law contains working-time, rest, and overtime rules, flexibility should be administered through documented schedules rather than informal availability expectations.

How Much Do Employee Benefits Cost in Greece?

Total employer cost in Greece is driven by base pay, statutory employer social insurance, holiday and vacation allowances, overtime premiums, and any supplemental benefits the employer elects to provide. Social-insurance costs are also affected by the monthly insurable-earnings ceiling and any special occupational contribution category.

For a professional salary at the 2026 e-EFKA monthly ceiling of EUR 7,761.94, the employer would budget base pay plus the 21.79% standard employer contribution on covered earnings, then add statutory Christmas, Easter, and vacation allowances as they accrue. If the role requires extra hours, the relevant premium may be \+20%, \+40%, \+60%, \+75%, or \+120% depending on the category. Model your full package in our cost calculator.

Common Compliance Mistakes When Hiring in Greece

1. Using the Wrong Contribution Base. Greek payroll contributions are capped for the standard salaried package at EUR 7,761.94 per month in 2026, but special occupations can carry additional rates. Employers should confirm both the employee's coverage package and whether any exclusions or extra charges apply.

2. Missing Holiday Allowance Payroll Timing. Christmas, Easter, and vacation allowances are statutory private-sector obligations, not discretionary bonuses. Treating them like optional performance pay can create payroll underpayments, contribution errors, and employee claims.

3. Applying One Severance Formula to Every Exit. Termination cost depends on the trigger. Employer dismissal, resignation, retirement, voluntary departure with employer consent, fixed-term expiry, and defective dismissal each follow different rules and potential payment formulas.

4. Overlooking Working-Time Records. Overwork, legal overtime, approved excess overtime, illegal overtime, and Sunday or public-holiday work carry different premiums. Employers should maintain accurate schedules and ERGANI II processes so extra time is classified correctly.

How Atlas HXM Manages Employee Benefits in Greece

Atlas HXM helps employers hire in Greece while administering statutory and supplemental benefits through one compliant employment platform. Our global employee benefits administration support helps align payroll deductions, employer contributions, leave tracking, and market benefits.

For companies that need to hire without setting up a Greek entity, Atlas can act as employer of record and manage employment administration through our Greece EOR solution at https://www.atlashxm.com/countries/greece/employer-of-record.

Frequently Asked Questions About Employee Benefits in Greece

How Much Do Employers Pay in Social Security Contributions in Greece?

21.79% is the standard employer social-insurance rate for most salaried employees, calculated on covered earnings up to EUR 7,761.94 per month in 2026\. Employees contribute 13.37% under the same standard package.

What Is the Annual Leave Allowance in Greece?

20 working days is the starting annual vacation entitlement for a 5-day-week employee after 12 months, rising by service to 26 working days. For a 6-day week, the range is 24 to 31 working days.

Are 13th and 14th Salaries Mandatory in Greece?

1 monthly salary for Christmas and 1/2 monthly salary for Easter are generally mandatory private-sector holiday bonuses for monthly-paid employees, with pro-rating rules. A vacation allowance of up to 1/2 monthly salary is also statutory.

What Maternity Benefits Must Employers Provide in Greece?

119 days of ordinary maternity leave apply, split as 8 weeks before childbirth and 9 weeks after. Eligible employees may also receive 9 months of special maternity-protection leave paid by DYPA at the statutory minimum wage.

Who Must Be Insured in TEKA in Greece?

3.00% employer and 3.00% employee is the supplementary-pension contribution rate for covered employees insured through e-EFKA or TEKA. TEKA applies to employees who fall within the supplementary funded pension system rather than remaining solely in the legacy supplementary branch.

About our data. Statutory rates and entitlements for Greece are compiled from official government sources, including the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Electronic National Social Security Entity (e-EFKA), and the Auxiliary Capital Insurance Fund (TEKA), under current instruments such as Presidential Decree 62/2025 (Code of Labour Law), Law 4808/2021, Law 5239/2025, and Law 4387/2016, and maintained in Atlas HXM's country compliance reference with primary sources linked inline where available.