Portuguese Labour Code 2026: a plain-English map

The Portuguese Labour Code is the law that runs your working life: holidays, pay, absences, hours and dismissal are all in it. It is Law 7/2009 and it has more than 500 articles.

This guide does not make you read 500 articles. It shows how the Code is organised, gives you a map to go straight to your right, and links each topic to the right despacho tool.

What the Labour Code is

Imagine you are starting a new job. How many holiday days do you get? How much do you receive if you are off sick? Within how many days can they dismiss you? The answers are all in one place: the Labour Code.

The Labour Code is the central law for employed work in Portugal. "Employed" means you work for someone (a company, a boss) and get a salary in return. It was approved by Law 7/2009 of 12 February and replaced the previous code, from 2003.

One key rule that explains everything else: the Code is a minimum. The company and the collective agreements can give you more than the Code (more holiday days, a better allowance), but never less. If a contract strips you of a right in the Code, that part does not count.

Who it applies to (and who it does not)

The Labour Code is for people with an employment contract. It does not cover every kind of work.

• It applies to you if: you have a boss, set hours, a salary and you follow instructions. You are an employee.
• It does not apply (as a rule) if: you are on recibos verdes (self-employed) or have a services contract. That world has other laws.
• Public sector: people working for the State have their own law (the LTFP), but many rules are similar.

How the Code is organised

The Code is split into two large blocks, which the law calls Books (Livros).

• Book I, General part. This is the relationship between a worker and their company. It is the part you use day to day: contract, holidays, pay, absences, hours, dismissal. Almost everything you care about is here.
• Book II, Collective labour law. This is the part about unions, collective labour agreements (CCT), strikes and works councils. It affects you indirectly, through your sector's collective agreement.

Inside Book I there is one title that is the heart of it all: Title II, Employment contract. It is huge. It follows the life of a contract from start to finish, and ends in the well-known Chapter VII, Termination of the employment contract, which is where dismissals sit.

The map: find your right

This is the practical part. Pick your topic, see which articles it sits in, and jump straight to the despacho tool that solves it.

The Code changes almost every year

The Labour Code is not set in stone. Since 2009 it has been amended dozens of times. That is why you have to be careful with old texts.

The most important changes to know:

• Law 13/2023, the Decent Work Agenda. The biggest recent revision, in force since 1 May 2023. It changed the presumption of a contract on digital platforms (couriers), the pay for overtime above 100 hours a year, the probation period and the rules against precarious work.
• Law 32/2025. The most recent amendment. It created justified absences for people with endometriosis or adenomyosis (new Art. 252-B).
• The "Trabalho XXI" reform (2026): rejected. The Government proposed a major reform in 2026, but Parliament rejected it at the first vote on 19 June 2026. Result: nothing changed. The Code keeps the wording it already had.

[Current interpretation:] whenever you read "it will change" in the news, check whether it has actually been published in the official journal. A proposal is not a law. Only what is in force counts.

How to read an article of the Code

Articles in the Code have their own structure. Knowing how to read it saves a lot of confusion.

• Article (Art.). The main unit. Example: Art. 238 deals with how long holidays are.
• Paragraph (number). Each article is split into numbered paragraphs. Example: "Art. 238, paragraph 1" is the first paragraph of that article.
• Sub-point (alínea). Inside a paragraph there can be a list with letters: a), b), c). They separate cases.

Where to read the official text

There are many copies of the Labour Code online. Many are out of date and can mislead you. Use only the official source.

• Consolidated version at dre.pt. The official journal has a version that already merges every amendment into a single text. It is the safest one to check. The link is in the sources section at the end of this guide.
• Avoid old PDFs from private sites. If they do not state the date of the last update, do not trust them.
• To understand, not to memorise. The text of the law is dry. The despacho guides exist to translate that text into practical steps, with examples and numbers.

4 common mistakes about the Labour Code

1. Thinking the contract outranks the law. It does not. If the contract gives you less than the Code, that part is void. The Code is the minimum.

2. Using an old version. The Code changes a lot. A rule from 2018 may no longer apply. Always check the consolidated version at dre.pt.

3. Confusing a proposal with a law. A reform announced in the news only counts once it is published in the official journal. The 2026 reform was rejected and changed nothing.

4. Thinking it covers self-employment. As a rule, it does not. But if you work as self-employed and are treated like an employee, you can ask for the contract to be recognised (Art. 12).

Useful links

• Ten basic rights working in Portugal the summary of your main rights, in one guide.
• Net salary calculator 2026 see the gross, the deductions and the net.
• Can my employer fire me? Is it legal? the dismissal diagnosis guide.
• Termination of the employment contract every way a contract can end.
• How to file an ACT complaint when the company breaks the Code.