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The work environment in Romania has changed significantly during the past decade, as the country is aiming to improve its work conditions typical of a middle-income nation. Working conditions are, in some aspects, comparable to the ones offered by Western European countries. Nevertheless, wages are significantly below the EU average, and there is a strong instability in the legal environment that regulates working conditions.

Working Hours in Romania

Working hours are generally between 9:00 - 18:00 from Monday to Friday with a one-hour lunch break at noon, but this may vary between companies. Many state-owned businesses open between 8:00 - 16:00. Businesses are usually closed on Saturday and Sunday and during public holidays. The standard work week is 40 hours, with additional payments for overtime hours. Nevertheless, for employees in management positions, the above restrictions do not apply.

The minimum working age in Romania is 16 years old.

Pay In Romania

Wages in Romania

The gross minimum monthly wage for 2017 is 1,450 RON (approximately 320 euros) for all employees, regardless of age.

Salaries in Romania

The average gross salary for 2017 in Romania has been established at 3,131 RON (approximately 700 euros), with high variations between sectors. In 2016, the oil industry has been the country's best paid sector, with an average gross salary of 6,120 RON, while the lowest wages were in the hospitality industry, with an average of 1,332 RON.

Following a decade of tax cuts geared specifically at the IT industry, this sector has become one of the most competitive in Bucharest, with an average salary of 5,500 RON (around 1,200 euros). It is common for salaries to be expressed in euros, and paid in RON, the country's official currency.

Some example of IT monthly salaries are:

• Junior Software Developer - 800 euros
• Senior IT consultant - 2,500 euros
• Experienced project manager - 3,500 euros

Work Contracts in Romania

All employment contracts must be in written, in Romanian language, and signed and agreed by both parties. If Romanian is not your native language, you should ask for a translation by a specialist. Keep in mind, however, that the only legally binding version is the original one.

The employee must ensure that the labour agreement includes, as a minimum:

• The identification of the parties
• The job title
• The commencement date for the contract
• Trial period
• Notice period
• The work place and schedule
• The salary and other benefits
• Details about holidays
• The criteria for the employee's professional evaluation
• Other rights and obligations of the parties.

There are four types of work contracts:

• Full-time permanent contract (Contract de muncă pe durată nedeterminată)- This is an open-ended contract that allows a person to be employed with no fixed limit, and it is the one required in most cases. Usually, the contract has a 90-day trial period for staff and 120-trial period for management personnel. This contract can be terminated only when the conditions laid out in the Labour Code are met.
• Full-time fixed term contract (Contract de muncă pe durată determinată) -  The Romanian Labour Code only allows this contract in specific situations of seasonal activity, replacement of employees on long-term leave, or project-specific work, which is why it is used mostly in the manufacturing, retail or construction industries. The fixed term contract has a maximum duration of 36 months, and a trial period of 5-45 days maximum, depending on the duration of the contract.
• Full-time temporary contract (Contract de muncă temporar) - This is a contract concluded between the employer, the employee and a temporary work agent, and its provisions are similar to the full-time fixed contract.
• Part-time contract (Contract de muncă cu timp parțial) - The part-time contracts are those where the weekly working hours are less than the 40-hour normal working week. They can be both fixed term and permanent, depending on the needs of the employer. The employees working under a part-time agreement have the same rights and obligations as full-time employees, except the possibility of working overtime hours.

Termination

Termination occurs when the employer or the employee brings the labour agreement to an end. Termination may be by mutual consent, by law, because of the employer's decision (dismissal) or at the employee's initiative.

An employer cannot dismiss an employee without good reason, even when compensation is given. The termination of an employee can occur only in case of misconduct, police arrest, professional, mental or physical incapacity, and the closing of the employee's position. The minimum notice period required by law is 20 days, but if the contract provides for higher notice period, the latter applies. The minimum notice period in case of resignation by the employee is 20 days for non-management positions, and 45 days for management positions.

Time Off

All people working under an employment contract have the right to a paid annual leave. The minimum duration of the annual leave in Romania is 20 days, but longer periods may be negotiated. Some companies offer additional days depending on the number of years the employee has worked for the company. Additionally to the statutory leave, employees may be entitled to specific days of paid leave for unusual family events and to unpaid leave for personal circumstances.

Holidays in Romania

Romania has fourteen public holidays a year, when most government offices and private businesses are closed:

• New Year's Day - January 1
• Day after the New Year's Day - January 2
• Union of the Romanian Principalities - January 24
•   Orthodox Easter Sunday
• Orthodox Easter Monday
• International Labour Day - May 1
• Children's Day - June 1
• Orthodox Pentecost
• Orthodox Whit Monday
• Assumption Day - August 15
• Feast of Saint Andrew - Nov 30
• National Day - December 1
• Christmas Day - December 25
• Boxing Day - December 26