Greece under parliamentary and OECD pressure to reform employment contracts for public health workers and broader labour

Member of Parliament Eυαγγελία Λιακούλη asked the ministries responsible for the National Public Health Organization (EODY) to clarify the status of workers hired on successive service contracts since March 2020. The staff work five‑day, 48‑hour weeks, keep daily attendance logs and lack typical labour rights and social benefits despite serving on the pandemic front line. Liakouli requested data on the number of such employees, the duration of their contracts and the legal basis distinguishing their status from regular employment.

At the same time, the OECD’s 2026 Employment Outlook report criticised Greece’s employment protection legislation as unusually strict. It highlighted notice periods of one to four months and severance payments up to six months (or twelve months without notice) for long‑tenured staff, urging reforms to give employers greater flexibility in dismissals.

Both developments spotlights calls for reforms to Greece’s labour framework, affecting public‑sector staff and the broader workforce.