Photo source: Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
The full implementation of Greece’s Digital Work Card in the tourism and food and beverage (F&B) sectors will begin on Saturday, March 1, following a 5.5-month pilot phase that started in September 2024.
The Digital Work Card records employees’ working hours in real time, aiming to increase transparency and ensure that employees are compensated for their actual work hours. The system is part of Greece’s broader effort to combat undeclared work and enforce labor law compliance across industries.
Sectors struggle to adapt
Despite the pilot phase, 20 to 30 percent of businesses in the tourism and F&B sectors have yet to fully adopt the system, citing technical difficulties and operational challenges. Industry representatives have repeatedly requested an extension to allow businesses to better adjust, but Greece’s Labor Ministry has so far maintained that the March 1 deadline will stand.
Dmitry Kalinovsky / Shutterstock.com
In particular, the Panhellenic Federation of Restaurant Enterprises (POESE) formally requested that the ministry delay the full rollout until after the tourism season, citing ongoing technical malfunctions and adaptation challenges, particularly for smaller businesses. Regarding the hospitality sector, both the Hellenic Hoteliers Federation and various hotel associations have highlighted the sector’s unique characteristics and have similarly requested a delay in the mandatory implementation.
Informal grace period expected
Although the official timeline remains unchanged, reports indicate that labor inspectors are expected to adopt a more flexible approach in the first few weeks after March 1, allowing businesses additional time to fully integrate the system before facing strict penalties. This informal grace period could extend until Easter.
Fines and penalties
Under the new system, businesses failing to comply face fines ranging from 1,800 to 10,500 euros per employee, with a maximum fine of 50,000 euros per violation. Penalties apply not only for failing to use the system, but also for cases where actual work hours recorded on the Digital Work Card do not match the official working hour declarations submitted by the employer.
Expanding coverage
Photo source: Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs
The Digital Work Card already applies to 750,000 employees in sectors such as banking, supermarkets, insurance, security services, public utilities, industry, and retail. With the addition of tourism and F&B, total coverage will reach 1.5 million employees across more than 200,000 businesses.
Further information on the digital work card can be found here (in Greek) and here.
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