Romania
Law regarding exceptions to the non-payment of the first day of sick leave
Impact date: 1 June 2026 A new law introduced important exceptions to Romania's rules on sick pay. Previously, the first day of sick leave was generally unpaid. Under the new rules, the first day of absence must now be paid in certain situations, including maternity leave, maternity risk leave, leave for patients covered by national health programmes, and sick leave issued in connection with hospital treatment.
The law also clarifies that, for the same uninterrupted illness or medical condition, only one unpaid day may apply, regardless of how many medical certificates are issued during that period. This is intended to prevent employees from losing additional days of pay simply because their absence is covered by multiple certificates.
Employer implications/action needed Employers should review payroll and sickness absence procedures to ensure that the first day of sick leave is paid where one of the statutory exceptions applies. Payroll teams should also ensure that uninterrupted periods of illness are treated correctly, even where multiple medical certificates are issued.
Employer risk Failure to apply the new rules correctly could lead to underpayment claims by employees and payroll compliance issues.
Link Law no. 64/2026
New employment contract template for foreign workers
Impact date: 11 June 2026 Order No. 655/2026 introduces a mandatory standard employment contract for registered employers hiring non-EU foreign nationals under GEO No. 32/2026. From 11 June 2026, employers must use this prescribed template and ensure that it is signed in both Romanian and a language understood by the employee. In the event of any discrepancy, the Romanian version prevails. The aim is to ensure that foreign workers are fully informed about their employment terms and rights before commencing work.
The new template requires a number of additional mandatory provisions, including details of the employee's net and gross salary, applicable tax and social security deductions, accommodation and transport arrangements, any relevant double taxation treaty, Romanian language and integration training, restrictions on changing employer during the first six months of employment, and notification obligations relating to employment agencies and the General Inspectorate for Immigration.
Employer implications/action needed Employers hiring non-EU foreign nationals should update recruitment and onboarding procedures to use the new mandatory contract template, ensure contracts are prepared bilingually, and review payroll, immigration and HR documentation to include the required information. Employers should also ensure that any language training and immigration notification requirements are addressed.
Employer risk While Order No. 655/2026 does not itself specify penalties, non-compliance with GEO No. 32/2026 may result in fines ranging from RON 5,000 to RON 40,000 per foreign worker. In addition, employment contracts that do not comply with the mandatory requirements may be considered null and void, creating significant employment and immigration compliance risks
Increase in the National Minimum Wage
Impact date: 1 July 2026 Under Government Decision (HG) No. 146/2026, Romania's national gross minimum wage increased from RON 4,050 to RON 4,325 per month with effect from 1 July 2026. The increase applies to employees whose pay is tied to the statutory minimum wage and is intended to raise the minimum level of earnings across the workforce.
The increase also triggers administrative obligations for employers. Under HG No. 295/2025 on the electronic employee register (REGES-Online), any change to an employee's gross monthly salary must be recorded in the register within 20 working days of the date the change takes effect. Employers whose employees were affected by the minimum wage increase must therefore update both payroll records and the information reported in REGES-Online.
Employer implications/action needed Employers should ensure that all affected employees receive at least the new statutory minimum wage from 1 July 2026 and that payroll systems are updated accordingly. HR teams should also verify that the salary changes are reported in REGES-Online within the required deadline.
Employer risk Failure to pay the statutory minimum wage is punishable by an administrative fine of RON 3,000–5,000 (approx. €573–955) per affected employee, up to a maximum of RON 200,000 (approx. €38,200). Failure to submit the salary amendment in REGES-Online by this deadline constitutes a contravention and is punishable by a fine of RON 5,000 to RON 8,000 (approx. €955 to €1,525).
Increase of retirement age for women
Impact date: 1 July 2026 Romania is continuing the gradual increase in the standard retirement age for women as part of a long-term process of aligning the retirement ages of men and women. From 1 July 2026, the applicable retirement age for a female employee depends on her individual date of birth, with the precise retirement age determined by the transition schedule set out in the law. As a result, there is no single retirement age that applies to all women from that date.
The change is part of an existing statutory timetable rather than a new reform. In practice, women reaching retirement age should check the relevant schedule in Law No. 360/2023 to determine when they become eligible for an old-age pension.
Employer implications/action needed No specific action is required. However, employers should take the updated retirement age into account when planning workforce needs and when managing employment relationships that may end on retirement. Before relying on retirement eligibility, employers should verify the employee's individual retirement age by reference to the applicable statutory schedule.
Employer risk N/A
Link Law no. 360/2023
New occupations
Impact date: 22 July 2026
Order No. 629/372/2026 updates Romania's official Classification of Occupations (COR) by introducing five new occupations: pastoral assistant (263649), circular economy expert (242243), sustainable development specialist (242242), circular economy specialist (213313) and gemmologist technician (311945). The inclusion of these occupations reflects the emergence of new professional roles, particularly in the areas of sustainability, environmental management and specialist technical services.
The addition of new occupations to the COR means that employers now have officially recognised job classifications available when recruiting, drafting employment contracts and completing employment registration and reporting requirements. In practice, this provides greater clarity for organisations employing individuals in these roles and helps align job titles with Romania's official occupational classification system.
Employer implications/action needed No immediate action is required. However, employers recruiting for these roles may now use the new COR codes when preparing employment documentation and registering employees.
Employer risk N/A. The changes are primarily administrative and expand the list of recognised occupations rather than creating new employment obligations.
Paid time off for endometriosis
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 conditions to be established.
Employer implications/action needed If the law is passed, employers would be required to grant the paid day off where eligibility conditions are met.
Employer risk Penalties or specific risks have not yet been legislated.
Link Draft law
Preventing burnout at work
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.
Employer implications/action needed The proposed law would increase employers’ compliance obligations. These measures will increase administrative workload, require specialist assessments, and may generate additional cost for designing, implementing, and maintaining these processes.
Employer risk Employers may face greater exposure to workplace disputes and employee claims, particularly relating to alleged retaliation and potential claims arising from failure to properly assess psychosocial risks or failure to act on issues reported through the confidential mechanism.
Link Draft law
Preventing and enhanced protection against workplace violence and harassment
Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. Draft laws propose amendments to the Occupational Safety Law no. 319/2006 and Law no. 53/2003 - Labor Code, requiring employers to prevent all forms of violence and harassment at work and requiring employers to take action where an employee faces an imminent and serious risk to life, health or safety due to workplace violence or harassment.
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.
The draft law would also allow employers to temporarily modify the employee’s duties or location with their consent to ensure safety, or, if this is not possible, provide paid leave. Additionally, employers would be required to designate at least one employee whose job description includes responsibilities for preventing workplace harassment and violence.
Employer implications/action needed Employers would be required to implement a comprehensive workplace policy to prevent violence and harassment, assess and mitigate related risks, provide training, and ensure confidential reporting and ongoing protection for all workers.
Employer risk Non-compliance with the obligations would be sanctioned with fines.
Pensions
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.
Employer implications/action needed N/A
Employer risk N/A
Link Draft law
Reduction of retirement age for night work
Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. A draft law proposes that individuals who performed night work, as defined by the Labour Code, are entitled to an age-limit pension with a reduced standard retirement age. The retirement age is reduced by one day for every 24 hours of accumulated night work, but not below 60 years of age.
Employer implications/action needed N/A
Employer risk N/A
Link Draft law
Paid leave for victims of domestic violence
Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. A draft law proposes to introduce a new provision granting employees ten paid days off if they or their minor child are victims of domestic violence, rape, or sexual assault.
The leave may be used for emotional recovery, accessing psychological, medical or legal services, or taking necessary steps to address the effects of the incident. The leave may be taken in instalments. Employers may request proof within 20 days of the employee’s return to work and must ensure strict confidentiality of any related data and documents.
Employer implications/action needed N/A
Employer risk N/A
Link Draft law
New immigration framework
Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. Romania is in the process of reforming its rules on employing foreign workers through a draft law approving Government Emergency Ordinance No. 32/2026.
If adopted in its current form, the draft would introduce several important changes. Employers seeking to recruit larger numbers of foreign workers could exceed their previous year's average headcount if they can demonstrate sufficient financial capacity and maintain a workforce that is at least 50% Romanian nationals. The draft would also simplify some administrative requirements by providing that certain eligibility conditions are assessed only when the initial application is made, rather than again when permits are extended. In addition, placement agencies would benefit from more favourable rules regarding financial guarantees, suspension measures and liability for repatriation costs in specific circumstances.
Employer implications/action needed Employers that recruit or sponsor foreign workers should monitor the progress of the legislation and review their immigration compliance processes. Businesses that expect to rely heavily on foreign labour may wish to assess whether they would meet the proposed financial and workforce composition requirements if the reforms are enacted.
Employer risk Fines for non-compliance with the amended provisions range between RON 1,500 and RON 10,000 per foreign worker placed (approx. €285 to €1,910), depending on the specific violation, including breaches related to employer obligations, placement agency conduct, and anti-money laundering requirements.
Link Draft law
New draft Law transposing EU Pay Transparency Directive (Law no. 445/2026)
Impact date: Awaited, pending procedure. Romania's revised Draft of Law transposing Directive (EU) 2023/970 on pay transparency and equal pay for women and men for equal work or work of equal value has been submitted to the Senate, formally starting the parliamentary approval process. Substantively, the revised draft law remains largely the same as the previous draft, with a few new details:
- pre-hiring transparency: job postings or pre-interview written information must now separately disclose other constitutive or variable pay elements, including in-kind benefits
- employees' representative bodies: for pay transparency purposes, these include anybody customarily entitled to represent employees in collective bargaining. Where no representative union exists, this may include non-representative unions, federations, or confederations
- limitation period for claims: non-compliance claims may be filed within three years of the breach, or from when the employee becomes aware of it. This includes claims brought after termination of the employment agreement, in which case the three-year period runs from the termination date
Employer implications/action needed At present, the provisions of the draft law are not yet in force. However, employers should be aware of the proposed amendments and the specific actions which should be taken to comply with the new proposed obligations (e.g., implementing new internal procedures for recruitment practices, amendments to internal regulations etc.).
Employer risk Fines for non-compliance are set as a multiplier of the minimum gross national-level wage in force when the fine is applied, rather than fixed amounts. They apply to failures such as not informing job applicants about pay, asking about salary history, denying access to remuneration criteria, refusing to provide workers with requested pay information, and failing to meet reporting or joint pay assessment obligations. First-time breaches are punishable by a fine of three to five times the minimum gross wage, while repeated breaches are punishable by a fine of five to ten times the minimum gross wage. Based on the current minimum gross wage of RON 4,050 (approx. €775), rising to RON 4,325 (approx. €825) from 1 July 2026, fines could reach up to approximately €8,250 for repeated offences.
Link Draft law
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