Guides.
Portuguese labour law in plain English. Real examples, current numbers, official sources.
Working without a contract in Portugal: your rights in 2026
Find out if working without a written contract is legal in Portugal, how to check your Social Security record and what to do if you are not registered.
Permanent Employment Contract in Portugal: Your Rights
Understand the permanent employment contract in Portugal: your rights, the probation period, and the 6 situations that turn a fixed term into permanent.
Unforeseeable absence in Portugal: how to notify the employer and prove it (Art. 253)
Sudden illness, ER visit, accident, child hospitalisation. How to notify on time, what proof to deliver and how to avoid the absence being marked as unjustified. Art. 253 of the Portuguese Labour Code explained.
Self-declaration of illness in Portugal: 3 days, no doctor
Justify up to 3 sick days with no doctor, twice a year, on SNS 24. The 5 day deadline, the employer code, what is unpaid and what to do if you get worse.
Can I have two jobs in Portugal? What the law allows in 2026
Find out if you can hold two jobs in Portugal, when an employer can forbid it, what changes for tax and social security, and the public sector rules.
Social security for the self-employed in Portugal: what you really get
Understand social security for the self-employed in Portugal: contributions, sickness, parental benefits, unemployment support, pensions and insurance.
Do I have the right to remote work in Portugal in 2026? Who can ask and how
Who has the right to remote work in Portugal: conditions for parents, domestic violence victims and carers, written agreements, expenses and employer refusals.
Remote work in Portugal: the 2026 reform and current rights
Remote work rights after the rejection of the Trabalho XXI bill: agreements, hybrid work, expenses, parental requests and contact during rest periods.
Overtime Pay in Portugal: Rates, Rules and How to Calculate (2026)
Full table of legal overtime rates by day type, the formula to calculate your hourly rate, and real-number examples. Everything in under 5 minutes.
Notice period in Portugal: how many days you must give when you quit (2026)
How many days of notice you must give before quitting a job in Portugal, how to count the deadline and what happens if you do not comply. Based on Art. 400 of the Labour Code.
Minimum wage in Portugal 2026: €920 on the mainland — gross, net and regions
The 2026 minimum wage is €920 on the mainland, €966 in the Azores and €980 in Madeira. Net pay, part-time calculations and what can count towards the minimum.
Meal allowance in Portugal 2026: amounts, tax limits and when it is mandatory
How much meal allowance you get in Portugal in 2026, when it pays IRS and Social Security, and when employers are actually required to pay it. Cash vs. meal card.
Late wages in Portugal: what you can do, step by step (2026)
Your employer is not paying you on time? Here is the full path in 4 steps: formal demand, resignation with just cause, ACT complaint and unemployment benefit. With deadlines and Labour Code articles.
Holiday allowance in Portugal 2026: how much and when it is paid
Work out your holiday allowance in Portugal 2026: about one month of pay, due before your holidays. See the Art. 264 base, the pro rata and sick-leave rules.
Christmas bonus in Portugal 2026: how much you get and when it is paid
Your Christmas bonus in Portugal 2026 equals one month of base pay, due by 15 December. See the pro rata on hiring, leaving and sick leave (Art. 263 Labour Code).
Can I refuse overtime in Portugal? When you can say no
Find out when you must work overtime in Portugal, who is exempt by law (pregnant, under 18, student, chronic illness) and how to request exemption.
Bonuses, commissions and stock options in Portugal: how much tax you actually pay (2026)
Got a bonus and the withholding looked brutal? Do commissions pay social security? Are stock options capital gains or salary? Practical guide with the rule for each, worked examples and what you get back at year-end.
Unused holidays in Portugal: how much you get paid when you leave (2026)
How much you receive for the holiday days you did not take when leaving your job in Portugal. Step-by-step formula, real-number examples and what your employer cannot deduct (Art. 245 of the Labour Code).
Parental leave in Portugal 2026: days and how much you get
Parental leave in Portugal 2026: 120 or 150 days of initial leave, 28+7 days for fathers, and what Social Security pays (100%, 80%, 83% or 90% of pay).
How many holiday days you get in your first year in Portugal (Art. 239 CT)
The first-year rule: 2 working days per month after 6 months of contract, capped at 20. The 30-day cap when first-year and second-year balances overlap. Formula and examples.
Disciplinary sanctions in Portugal: types, caps and appeals
Learn the 6 sanctions employers can apply in Portugal, the caps on fines, suspension and holidays, the 60 day and 1 year deadlines, and when it is abusive.
Can I refuse an order from my employer in Portugal?
Learn which orders you must follow in Portugal, when you can refuse without risk (illegal order, danger, outside your duties) and how to do it safely.
Health and safety representatives in Portugal: rights
Learn how workers elect health and safety representatives in Portugal: how many, 5 paid hours a month, monthly meeting with management and protection.
Health and safety obligations for employers in Portugal
Learn your health and safety duties as an employer in Portugal: OHS service, medical exams, training, accident insurance and fines for breaches.
Works council in Portugal: how to set one up and its rights
Learn how to set up a works council in Portugal: 100 or 20 percent to call the vote, DGERT registration, 25 paid hours a month and mandatory information.
Union representative in Portugal: rights and protection
Learn what a union representative can do in Portugal: 5 paid hours a month, meetings at work, mandatory information, dues and dismissal protection.
Collective redundancy in Portugal 2026: how severance is calculated
Collective redundancy in Portugal 2026: what it is, the procedure, notice by seniority, and how severance is calculated (14 days per year, Art. 366).
Pregnant or on parental leave with a fixed-term contract: can they refuse to renew?
Find out if a Portuguese employer can refuse to renew a fixed-term contract for a pregnant worker or someone on parental leave, what CITE must be told and how to react.
Posted workers in Portugal: your rights and the 12 month rule
Learn what the law guarantees a posted worker in Portugal: local minimum wage, overtime, the 12 month rule, ACT declaration, housing and travel allowances.
Foreign worker in Portugal: contract, permit and rights
Learn what the law requires for a non EU citizen to work in Portugal: written contract, visa or residence permit, changing employer, and employer fines.
Working time adaptability in Portugal: rules and limits
Learn how working time adaptability works in Portugal: daily caps of 10 or 12 hours, the 14 day rule, who can refuse and when overtime still applies.
Disability or chronic illness at work in Portugal: rights
Learn your rights as a worker with a disability or chronic illness in Portugal: workplace adjustments, no forced night work or overtime, and hiring quotas.
Informal carer at work in Portugal: leave, hours, protection
Learn your rights as a working informal carer in Portugal: 5 days of leave, 15 absences a year, part time up to 4 years and CITE approval before dismissal.
Working under 18 in Portugal: age, hours and limits
Find out the minimum working age in Portugal, how many hours a minor can work, whether night work or overtime is allowed, and what parents can block.
Student Worker Rights in Portugal: The Full Statute
Learn how the student worker statute works in Portugal: paid time off for classes, paid exam leave, flexible holidays and 10 days of unpaid leave.
I received a disciplinary notice in Portugal. What now? Step by step (2026)
Your employer handed you a 'nota de culpa'? You have 10 working days to reply. Practical guide with deadlines, your rights, mistakes to avoid and the ready-to-use template.
Working after retirement in Portugal: what happens to your contract?
Learn what changes if you keep working after retirement in Portugal: 6 month fixed term contract, 60 or 15 days notice, no severance. And the rule at 70.
Working Hours in Portugal: Daily and Weekly Limits (2026)
By law: 8 hours per day, 40 per week (Art. 203 Labour Code). Flexibility schemes up to 10/50, compressed workweek, daily rest, weekly rest. Everything you need to know.
Weekly rest in Portugal: can you be made to work Sundays?
Learn what Portuguese law guarantees for weekly rest: 1 day off per week, when your day off can fall outside Sunday, and what you are owed for working it.
Sick leave in Portugal 2026: payment table and values (DL 28/2004)
Full 2026 sick pay table: 55% up to day 30, 60% up to 90, 70% up to 365, 75% beyond. Waiting period, exceptions, 5-point uplift and worked examples.
I quit my job in Portugal: do I lose unemployment benefit?
If you resigned, the rule is no benefit. But there are 5 legal paths to leave and keep the right to unemployment benefit (subsídio de desemprego). Guide with Articles 9 and 10 of DL 220/2006 and what to demand from your employer before signing.
Fixed-term contract non-renewal in Portugal: notice, severance and unemployment benefit (2026)
When a fixed-term contract ends without renewal: who notifies whom, the required notice, how much severance you receive and whether you qualify for unemployment benefit. Article 344 of the Portuguese Labour Code, explained with examples.
Child assistance leave in Portugal: your right (Art. 49 CT)
How many days you can miss to care for a sick child, how to notify your employer, what proof is required and how much you receive. Article 49 of the Portuguese Labour Code, with tables, examples and the limits most companies pretend not to know.
Training hours in Portugal: the 40 hours a year you are owed
Learn about the 40 hours of paid training a year every employee in Portugal is entitled to, what happens when the employer skips it and how much you get paid for it when you leave.
Working on a public holiday in Portugal: pay and rules
Check the 13 mandatory public holidays in Portugal for 2026, what you get for working on one (rest or +50%), and what happens when it falls on a weekend.
Four day work week in Portugal: what the law allows
Learn how a 4 day work week works under Portuguese law: 12 hour daily caps, who can refuse, and what changes in pay, meal allowance and rest periods.
Intermittent work contracts in Portugal: rules and pay
Learn how intermittent work contracts work in Portugal: a 5 month minimum of work per year, 20 or 30 days notice and a 20% allowance in idle months.
Working hours exemption in Portugal: rules and pay
Learn how the working hours exemption works in Portugal: who qualifies, the three types, the minimum monthly supplement and when overtime still applies.
Shift work and night work in Portugal: rules and pay
Learn the rules for shift work and night work in Portugal: shift rotation, the 25% night premium, working limits and exemptions during pregnancy.
Change of duties in Portugal: what your employer can do
See when your employer can change your job duties in Portugal, the limits of functional mobility, demotion rules and what to do if it is illegal.
Lay-off in Portugal: what you get paid and your rights
Understand lay-off in Portugal: two thirds of your gross pay, the 920 euro floor, the 2,760 euro cap, who pays, how long it lasts and what is banned.
Occasional secondment in Portugal: loaned within the group
Understand occasional secondment in Portugal: the four legal conditions, the written agreement, the pay you are owed and when you can stay for good.
Unfair dismissal compensation in Portugal 2026: how much you get
Unfair dismissal in Portugal 2026: at your request the compensation is 15 to 45 days per year (Art. 391), with a 3 month minimum. Plus pay until judgment. The bill that wanted to raise a different figure was rejected.
Termination of employment in Portugal: the 5 paths and what changes with each (2026)
Resignation, just cause, dismissal, mutual agreement or expiration. Who initiates it changes everything: severance, unemployment benefit and deadlines. Full map with flowchart and comparison table.
10 basic rights every worker in Portugal should know
Minimum wage, holiday days, sick pay, the 14-month year, dismissal protection and more. A plain-English guide to Portuguese labour law for expats and newcomers.
Sexual harassment at work in Portugal: how to prove it and report it (2026)
A serious incident in a meeting, late-night messages, an unwanted touch. Portuguese law treats sexual harassment differently from workplace bullying. One episode can be enough. Practical guide: Art. 29 n.º 3 Labour Code definition, how to build evidence, CITE vs ACT vs Public Prosecutor, resignation for just cause.
Preventive suspension in Portugal: what your employer can and cannot do
Sent home while they investigate? Preventive suspension is legal but with strict rules. Limits, salary, deadlines and how to react.
Overtime in Portugal 2026: new rules and what you get paid
How much overtime pays in Portugal in 2026 and the 100-hour rule that doubles the rate. The reform's individual hours bank was rejected on 19 June 2026.
Mutual agreement in Portugal: 8 things they won't tell you (2026)
Your employer wants to terminate your contract by mutual agreement (mútuo acordo)? There are 8 things many employers hide: unemployment benefit rights, 7 day cancellation, minimum severance and more. Practical guide with Articles 349 and 350 of the Labour Code.
Justified vs unjustified absences in Portugal: the complete guide (2026)
Which absences the law allows, how to notify on time, what proof is required, and when you lose pay or risk dismissal. Articles 248 to 257 of the Portuguese Labour Code with examples.
Justified absences in Portugal: when can the employer deduct your salary? (Art. 255)
The rule is simple: justified absences do not cause loss of pay (Art. 255 n.º 1). But there are 7 exceptions — sick leave, child assistance, others. Full table per type.
Foreseeable absence in Portugal: how to notify your employer (Art. 253 n.º 1)
Scheduled surgery, marriage, court hearing, training, polling station duty. How to notify a foreseeable absence with 5 days notice, who to send it to, what proof to attach and what happens if you miss the deadline. Art. 253 n.º 1 of the Portuguese Labour Code explained.
Constructive dismissal in Portugal: it is called resolution with just cause
Constructive dismissal is the UK and Irish term. In Portugal, the equivalent figure is resignation with just cause by the worker (Art. 394 CT). When you can use it and how it works.
Constructive dismissal in Portugal: how to prove it (Art. 394 Labour Code)
Most workers lose in court not because they had no case, but because they had no evidence. Here's what to prove, who proves what, and how to build the file before you walk out.
I received the compensation: can I still challenge the dismissal?
You took the dismissal compensation and want to go to court? Today you must return it before you file (Art. 366). The bill that wanted to end that duty was rejected on 19 June 2026.
Can my employer fire me like this in Portugal? How to know if your dismissal is legal (2026)
Six question checklist to spot an unlawful dismissal in Portugal. Without a written procedure, without legal grounds or by discrimination, you have 60 days to challenge it in court.
Bereavement leave Portugal: days off by relationship (2026 table)
How many days off you get for a death in the family in Portugal: spouse, child and civil union partner get 20 days. Parents and parents-in-law get 5. Full table, Art. 251 Labour Code, updated with Law 13/2023.
Service commission in Portugal: how senior roles work
Understand the service commission regime in Portugal: which roles qualify, the written contract, 30 or 60 days of notice and the exit compensation.
Domestic worker rights in Portugal: what the law says
Learn the rules for domestic workers in Portugal: contracts, the 40 hour week, holidays, bonuses, mandatory insurance and how the contract can end.
Strike rights in Portugal: what the law guarantees
Learn how strikes work in Portugal: who can call one, the 5 day notice rule, what happens to your pay and what your employer cannot do during a strike.
Temporary agency work in Portugal: your rights
See how temporary agency work operates in Portugal: who pays you, equal pay rules, time limits and when you become permanent staff of the user company.
Unemployment benefit in Portugal 2026: how much you get
Work out your 2026 unemployment benefit in Portugal: 65% of reference pay, floor 537.13 EUR, ceiling 1,342.83 EUR and the 10% cut after 180 days.
Single Social Benefit Portugal: what changes for you
Understand Portugal's new Single Social Benefit: the 13 benefits it absorbs, how the amount is worked out, who is left out and when it starts to apply.
Part-time work in Portugal: rights, pay and allowances
Understand what counts as part-time work in Portugal, how much you must be paid, how allowances and holidays work, and when you can demand reduced hours.
Wage Guarantee Fund Portugal: who pays if the company fails
See how the Portuguese Wage Guarantee Fund pays wages an insolvent employer did not pay, what the caps are and how to claim within the one year deadline.
Pay transparency law 2026: what changes for you
The Portuguese draft bill is now public. It does not force salaries into job ads, but it bans asking what you earned before and voids pay secrecy clauses.
Transfer of business in Portugal: your rights
See what happens to your contract when a company is sold in Portugal, which rights you keep, who pays unpaid wages and how you can object to it.
Workplace relocation in Portugal: can you refuse?
See when your employer can move you to another workplace in Portugal, the notice periods, who pays the costs and when you can leave with compensation.
Working in extreme heat in Portugal: your rights
See your rights when working in extreme heat in Portugal: breaks, water, shade, schedule changes and when you can stop work without losing pay.
Work accident in Portugal: what to do and who pays
Had an accident at work in Portugal? See what to do in the first 48 hours, how much the insurer pays (70% to 80%) and the 1 year deadline to claim.
Which Resignation Letter to Use in Portugal? The 5 Letters
Compare the 5 letters to leave a job in Portugal: resignation with notice, just cause termination, mutual agreement, probation exit and disciplinary defence.
Template: Resignation Letter with Notice (Art. 400 CT)
Commented template for a resignation letter with advance notice in Portugal. Fill in your details, copy, and send. With the Art. 400 notice periods (30 or 60 days by seniority, 15 for short fixed-term) and the exit date calculation.
Platform work in Portugal: courier and driver rights
Find out when Portuguese law presumes you are an employee of the delivery or ride app: the 6 signs in Article 12-A, what you gain and how to claim it.
False self-employment in Portugal: 8 signs you are being exploited (2026)
Working on green receipts in Portugal but treated like an employee? 8 practical signs of false self-employment under Art. 12 Labour Code, plus how to file an ACT complaint.
Labour reform 2026 in Portugal: what changes for dismissal
Labour reform 2026 in Portugal (Trabalho XXI): what it wanted to change for dismissal and why it was rejected on 19 June 2026. Before vs after.
Individual hours bank in Portugal: what the 2026 reform changes
Understand the individual hours bank: why it was banned in 2019 and why it stays banned after the Trabalho XXI reform was rejected on 19 June 2026.
Fixed-term contracts in Portugal 2026: rules and changes
Learn the fixed-term contract rules in Portugal 2026: 2-year max, 3 renewals, 24 days of compensation. The reform that wanted to change them was rejected.
Continuous working day in Portugal: parents and grandparents
The continuous working day for parents and grandparents fell with the reform's rejection on 19 June 2026. See what it promised and what you can request today.
Performance Evaluation Template for Portugal (2026)
Copy a ready to use performance evaluation template for Portugal and follow the 2026 rules: known criteria, AI limits, personal data and fines to avoid.
Work schedule in Portugal: who sets it and when it changes
Learn who sets your work schedule in Portugal, when it can change, and what you get for exemption from schedule, shifts and night work in 2026.
Payslip in Portugal: how to read every line
Learn to read your payslip in Portugal: what the law requires on it, IRS and Social Security deductions, and what to do when the numbers look wrong.
Dismissal for inadaptation in Portugal: your rights
Facing dismissal for inadaptation in Portugal? See what your employer had to prove, the 14 days per year compensation, notice periods and how to fight it.
Transparent and predictable working conditions in Portugal
Learn what your employer must hand you in writing in Portugal: transparent working conditions, the 7 day and 1 month deadlines, and your next steps.
Employer obligations in Portugal: the 2026 checklist
Meet every employer obligation in Portugal in 2026: monthly Social Security and tax deadlines, annual maps, records, postings and the Relatório Único.
Working time records in Portugal: what the law requires
Set up legal working time records in Portugal: start and end times, overtime logs, five year retention, biometric clocks and the fine for each failure.
Starting work in Portugal: the essentials you must know
Get ready to work in Portugal: NIF, NISS, contract rules, minimum wage, payslip deductions, working hours and holidays, all the essentials in one guide.
How to hire an employee in Portugal: step by step
Hire an employee in Portugal step by step: contract type, written information duties, Social Security, insurance, medical exams and training.
Monthly social security declarations are ending in Portugal
Learn how Portugal's Simplified Contribution Cycle (SCC) works: no more monthly declarations, new deadlines, and how employers can join in 2026.
How to dismiss an employee in Portugal: 6 legal routes
How to dismiss an employee in Portugal in 2026: the 6 legal routes, what each costs, notice periods and the mistakes that make a dismissal unlawful.
Individual redundancy in Portugal 2026: rights and severance
Individual redundancy in Portugal 2026: the 4 requirements, the procedure, notice periods, severance of 14 days per year and how to challenge it.
Work Compensation Fund Portugal: Do You Still Pay in 2026?
Find out whether you still pay into the Work Compensation Fund (FCT) in Portugal and how to reclaim your balance before the 31 December 2026 deadline.
Job Abandonment in Portugal: Rules, Costs and Defence
Understand job abandonment in Portugal (Article 403): the 10 working day presumption, the registered letter, what it costs and how to defend yourself.
Maternity leave Portugal 2026: how long and how much
Learn how maternity leave works in Portugal in 2026: 6 mandatory weeks after birth, up to 30 days before, and how much Social Security pays.
Disciplinary Procedure Portugal: Step by Step for Employers
Run a disciplinary procedure in Portugal without voiding it: deadlines, nota de culpa, instruction, decision, and the errors that make a dismissal unfair.
Portuguese Labour Code 2026: a plain-English map
Understand the Portuguese Labour Code without the jargon: how it is organised, where each right sits, and the right tool for your case in 2026.
Paternity leave Portugal 2026: 28+7 days and how to claim
Learn how paternity leave works in Portugal in 2026: 28 mandatory days and 7 optional, paid at 100 percent by Social Security, and how to claim.
Probation period in Portugal: duration, termination and rights (2026)
How long the probation period lasts in Portugal, who can end the contract and when, with or without notice. Articles 111 to 114 of the Labour Code explained with examples.
Probation period: what the 2026 reform wanted to change
See what the 2026 labour reform wanted to change in the probation period and why the 180 days for first jobs stay after the bill was rejected.
Breastfeeding and pregnancy loss rights in Portugal
Know your rights in Portugal: breastfeeding time off with no age limit (2 hours a day, paid) and up to 3 days for pregnancy loss (Art. 47 and 38-A).
Outsourcing after collective dismissal in Portugal: banned
Learn why outsourcing is banned for 12 months after a collective dismissal in Portugal (Art. 338-A), and why the reform to scrap the rule failed.
AI and algorithms at work: your rights in Portugal (2026)
Know your rights when your employer uses algorithms or AI to hire, rate or fire: transparency, no discrimination and the right to contest a decision.
Sick pay for the self-employed in Portugal (2026)
Find out how much sick pay you get on green receipts: paid from day 11, capped at 365 days, and calculated on your contribution base, not your invoices.
Just fired in Portugal: what to do in the first 48 hours
Find out what to do in the 48 hours after a dismissal in Portugal: Art. 341 documents, evidence, 60 days to challenge and 90 days to claim benefits.
Final pay in Portugal: the credits you cannot waive
When your contract ends you are owed holidays, allowances, overtime and untaken training. The settlement receipt does not erase what you were not paid. You have 1 year to claim (Art. 337).
Unjustified absences in Portugal: 5 consequences under Art. 256
An unjustified absence in Portugal costs you salary, seniority, holidays — and can trigger dismissal. The 5 consequences of Art. 256 explained with numbers.
Unpaid Leave in Portugal: Rules, Notice, and What Changes in Your Contract
Everything about unpaid leave (Art. 317 Labour Code): when the employer can refuse, the 90-day notice rule, seniority, guaranteed return, and the special right for training leave.
22 or 25 Days of Holiday in Portugal? What the Law Really Says (2026)
By law, it's 22 working days. The extra 3 come from your contract or collective agreement. The 'good attendance' bonus was scrapped in 2012. Knowing the difference matters when you leave.
Can my employer schedule my holidays in Portugal? (Art. 241 CT)
How holiday scheduling works in Portugal: agreement first, employer's role, holiday map by 15 April, rules for couples and students. Article 241 of the Labour Code explained.
How to file an ACT complaint in Portugal in 10 minutes (2026 guide)
Report unpaid wages, harassment, unsafe conditions or other labour violations to ACT (Portuguese Labour Inspection). Online, free, anonymous option. Practical step by step with legal references.
Workplace bullying in Portugal: what the law actually counts (2026)
Your manager shouts at you. They cut your tasks. Coworkers avoid you. Not everything counts as legal harassment, but what does gives you three legal paths. The Art. 29 Labour Code definition, three required elements, evidence and routes out.
How to Apply for Unemployment Benefit in Portugal — Step by Step (2026)
Exact steps: documents to request from your employer, how to register at IEFP and submit online at Segurança Social. With deadlines and what to do if something goes wrong.
Can my employer fire me during sick leave in Portugal? (2026)
Sick leave does not protect you absolutely, but firing you because of illness is unlawful (Art. 25 and 381 of the Portuguese Labour Code). Here are the four exceptions, what counts as discrimination and what to do if it happens.