Hiring Employees in Portugal

Updated on Tuesday 03rd October 2017

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The Labour Code governs all the employment relationships in Portugal and sets forth the working conditions according to the existing categories of workers.

Hiring employees in Portugal is done by expressly observing the laws governing employment and principles for concluding employment agreements.

Our team of lawyers in Portugal can help you with legal services for hiring employees and concluding employment agreements, as needed for your Portuguese company.

The employment relationship in Portugal

According to the Labour Code, only certain types of employment contracts must be expressly concluded in writing. While written employment contracts are not mandatory by law in Portugal, this manner of concluding a work agreement is considered to be the best practice and it is recommended for all types of companies in Portugal.

The following types of employment contracts must be concluded in their written form:

- foreign employee employment contracts;

- promissory employment contracts;

- part-time employment contracts;

- term/fixed employment contracts.

Our lawyers in Portugal can give you complete information on the types of contracts for employment that must be drafted in written form, as requested by law.

The following information must be included in an employment contract:

- the employer’s and employee’s identification details;

- the job title description and the place of work description;

- the term of the contract (if applicable);

- the remuneration;

- annual leave and other benefits;

- collective bargaining agreements (if applicable);

- grounds for termination.

You can request specialized legal help from one of the attorneys at our law firm in Portugal for drafting such an agreement. Moreover, one of our experts can help you with a legal review of the employment contract, before you enter into a contractual relationship.

Employee benefits in Portugal

Employers in Portugal must meet the minimum conditions for employment. These refer to working conditions, the minimum wage, the mandatory holiday leave and the maximum working hours.

All employees are protected against discrimination in Portugal, through the Portuguese Constitution. Direct and indirect discrimination is unlawful according to the Labour Code.

One of our lawyers in Portugal can give you more details on the provisions of the Labour Code and other laws for employers and company owners in the country.

You can contact us for more information on how we can assist you with various legal services.