Romania

Impact date: 1 February 2026 to 31 December 2027 A government emergency ordinance (91/2025) has entered into force which modifies how sick leave is paid by the employer.

Previously, the employer paid the sick leave allowance for days one-five, with the government covering the payment from day six. Under the new law, day one of absence becomes unpaid, the employer pays from days two-six, and the government covers the payment from day seven. In practice, the employer continues to pay these amounts but recovers them from the Romanian state through a reimbursement mechanism.

Additionally, a new provision introduces the possibility for the National Health Insurance House (CNAS) to verify the legality and validity of medical leave certificates. If a certificate is found to be unlawfully issued, the employee loses the right to sick leave allowance.

Impact date: 5 February 2026 Employees are entitled to 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest. An exception applies where weekly rest cannot be given each week and is instead granted cumulatively at the end of a continuous period not exceeding 14 days. This exception applies only if the employer has prior authorization from the labour inspectorate, trade union or employee representatives approve, and the employee receives 150% pay (double the overtime allowance).

A High Court of Justice ruling on 24 November 2025 narrows and clarifies the circumstances in which employers must pay the 150% premium for work on weekly rest days. The court emphasized that the 150% enhanced compensation applies strictly and only when all exceptional‑regime conditions are fulfilled. Ordinary weekend work performed on weekly rest days does not automatically entitle the employee to 150%; the standard regime applies unless the employer satisfies the strict requirements for continuous activity.

Impact date: 9 March 2026

The High Court of Cassation and Justice held that, in relation to payment of untaken leave on termination of employment:

• the three-year limitation period for claiming payment runs from the termination of employment; and
• leave accrued beyond the statutory 18‑month carry‑over period is payable only where the employee was prevented from taking it.

Impact date: 27 April 2026

Several amendments to immigration legislation and employment law amendments have been made. Some of the key employment law amendments include:

• the recruitment, authorizations and monitoring of foreign workers will be done through a unique national platform - WorkinRomania.gov.ro
• employers are required to conclude employment contracts with foreign employees both in Romanian and in the language of the employee's country of origin, or in an international language that the foreigner understands or can reasonably be presumed to understand
• a foreign employee may be hired without presenting the medical fitness certificate at the time of conclusion of the employment contract. However, the certificate must be obtained no later than the date on which the foreign worker actually begins work
• employers hiring foreign workers must pay remuneration or salary into the bank account of the foreign employee (no cash payment allowed)
• additional mandatory clauses in employment contracts with foreigners
• a new contravention is introduced: failure by the employer to ensure that the foreign worker performs work corresponding to the COR code (Romanian Classification of Occupations) specified in the employment contract is sanctioned with fines

Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure.

Romania has released its first draft law transposing Directive (EU) 2023/970 on pay transparency and equal pay for women and men for equal work or work of equal value. The draft law follows the framework set out in the Directive, but introduces certain specific provisions:

• the pay information required within recruitment: the draft law mentions that the information should be shared with candidates either through the job vacancy post or directly in writing prior to the interview
• when assessing the “work of equal value”, knowledge is also taken into consideration as a criterion
• the deadline for employers to respond to pay information requests is 30 working days
• the draft law proposes amendments to the Labor Code in what concerns salary confidentiality clauses

Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. A draft law proposes that women diagnosed with endometriosis which has been medically certified as a chronic condition, should be entitled (upon request and based on a doctor’s recommendation) to up to one paid day off per month during their menstrual period.

The leave would be considered seniority for employment purposes (i.e. it adds to the employee’s length of service) and the cost would be initially covered by the employer through the salary fund. The employer would be partially reimbursed from the budget of the National Unique Health Insurance Fund, subject to the conditions to be established.

Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure.

A draft law seeks to regulate the prevention of professional burnout by requiring employers to address psychosocial risks in the workplace.

Employers would need to inform employees annually about burnout risks, and integrate psychosocial risks into their internal risk assessments.

For employers with more than 50 employees, the draft introduces additional obligations: preparing an annual burnout‑prevention plan, conducting psychosocial risk evaluations, and creating a confidential reporting mechanism that protects employees from any negative consequences for raising burnout‑related concerns. Employers may also choose to offer paid professional‑recovery leave through internal policies.

Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. A draft law proposes an amendment to the Occupational Safety Law no. 319/2006 introducing a new paragraph requiring employers to prevent all forms of violence and harassment at work.

The draft law would require employers to develop, in consultation with trade unions or employee representatives, a workplace policy with a confidential reporting mechanism, to integrate violence and harassment prevention and psychosocial risk management into safety measures, to identify and assess risks including those from third parties and take preventive and protective actions, and provide workers with accessible training and information on the risks, prevention measures, and their rights and responsibilities under the policy.

Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. A draft law proposes an amendment to the Pensions Law no. 360/2023 in order to state that age-limit pension (i.e. the standard retirement pension) is granted to individuals who meet both the standard retirement age and the minimum contribution period. Receiving and exercising the right to a pension is no longer conditional on terminating or suspending employment, and continuing to work after retirement cannot lead to the suspension, limitation, or withdrawal of the pension.