2.5 Million Workers Covered by Digital Labor Card in Greece – 10 New Categories Added

Greece is significantly expanding its digital labor card system, bringing the total number of covered employees to an estimated 2.5 million. The latest phase adds approximately 476,000 workers across various sectors, furthering the government's goal of universal implementation.

The digital labor card serves as a crucial tool for protecting employees, combating undeclared and underreported work, and ensuring the accurate recording of working hours and wages. Minister of Labour and Social Security Niki Kerameus emphasized that the system enhances transparency in the labor market and guarantees the precise tracking of actual work time.

"The Digital Labor Card is a significant tool for protecting workers and enhancing transparency in the labor market, ensuring the accurate recording of actual work time and the full payment of legal wages," Kerameus stated. She added that the expansion aims to "protect workers in practice, tackle undeclared and underreported work, and protect healthy competition among businesses."

The new expansion incorporates several categories, including human health activities (hospitals, diagnostic centers), employment support activities, telecommunications, specific service sectors like hairdressers and cleaning services, and building and outdoor space services. A second phase includes consulting services, advertising, repairs, storage and transport activities (logistics), water management, and gambling.

During the pilot period for these new sectors, extensive consultations will be held with the respective industries. This process aims to optimize the application of the digital card, taking into account the unique needs and characteristics of each professional activity. Previous expansions have shown significant increases in declared overtime, with one sector reporting up to a 1200% rise.