A friendly work culture and prime trade opportunities

Laws and norms to consider when hiring in Spain

• Working hours: Collective agreements or employment contracts establish the maximum allowable working hours for employees, but the Statute of Workers has set an absolute limit of 40 hours per week with a maximum workday of nine hours.
• Mandatory bonuses: Employees are entitled to two extra payments a year—in addition to their annual salary—one at Christmas and another on a month that is agreed upon in their collective bargaining agreement or employment contract. Agreements can be made for an employee’s two extra payments to be issued on a pro rata basis throughout the year.
• Vacation: Employees are entitled to a minimum of 30 days annual paid leave, which can be increased by collective agreements or individual employment contracts. If an employee’s holiday period coincides with a temporary disability—like pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding—the employee is entitled to take paid vacation at another time within the same year.
• Holidays: Employees are entitled to 14 national holidays, as well as four regional and two local holidays. The Spanish government may elect to observe holidays that fall on a weekend the following Monday.
• Benefits: Pregnant employees are entitled to 16 weeks of maternity leave and two extra weeks per child if there are multiple births. The social security system pays 100% of the employee’s social security contribution base during maternity leave. Employees can request a suspension of their employment contract for up to 15 months to provide child care, and employers must reserve their position until they return.
• Culture: Oftentimes, business meetings are held in restaurants or other social settings outside of the office over food and drink. Small plates or appetizers—called tapas—are popular in Spain and are much more than a style of dish. They are considered a cultural experience and are even included in the Spanish language as a verb, tapear, meaning “to have tapas.”