Three months, uniformly — and a procedure that comes first

The new law standardised notice and tightened the procedure around collective terminations.

The uniform notice period

Three months for indefinite-term contracts, regardless of the employee's length of service.

This replaced the old framework of two months under ten years and three months above.

The employer may elect to pay compensation in lieu of notice.

The job-search entitlement during notice

Under Article 162, where the employer gives the notice, the employee has the right to take one day off per week or eight hours during the week to search for another job.

Collective redundancy

The employer must complete the full collective-redundancy procedure before issuing any individual termination notices:

• Union consultation
• Committee application
• Approval

Early indications suggest committees are taking the full statutory period to issue decisions.

If you received an individual notice before that process concluded, the sequence was wrong.

Gross violations

In all cases, the employer may terminate the contract if the employee commits a gross violation.

Compensation for illegitimate termination

Not less than two months' wage per year of service for indefinite contracts, under Article 165.

The new law changed the framing from "without justifiable cause" to "for illegitimate reason", with examples provided. Whether that widens permissible terminations remains to be seen in practice.

Fixed-term early termination

One month's salary per year of service — a new explicit provision replacing judicial discretion.

Withdrawing a resignation

Ten days from the employer's acceptance, in writing and certified by the competent authority.

The urgent-orders power

Labour courts now have judges authorised to issue urgent orders including suspending a dismissal or enforcing partial wage payments during litigation.

That changes what is possible while a case is pending.

What to keep

Your contract copy — you should have one of four — the written notice, evidence of your start date, payslips and any correspondence about the redundancy process.