Employment Contract in Romania

A Romanian employment contract must be in writing, in Romanian, and signed before you start work (art. 16(1) of the Romanian Labour Code, Codul muncii, Law no. 53/2003). Since 27 April 2026 a foreign citizen’s contract must exist in a language they understand (art. 16(1^9)). Clauses below the legal minimum cannot bind you (art. 11 and 38).

Does my employment contract have to be in Romanian?

Yes. The individual employment contract (contract individual de muncă) is concluded in writing, in Romanian, and the duty to put it in writing is the employer’s (art. 16(1)). For foreign citizens the Code now adds a second version: the employer must conclude the contract both in Romanian and in the language of your state of origin or in an international language you understand (art. 16(1^9), added by Emergency Ordinance no. 32/2026). The provision speaks of a foreign citizen (cetățean străin); the ordinance that introduced it deals with non-EU workers, so whether an EU citizen can rely on it is not settled. The translation is in any case the employer’s duty, not a favour.

The Romanian text is the version registered in REVISAL and read by the Territorial Labour Inspectorate (ITM) and by the courts. Have the Romanian checked; differences between the two versions become disputes later. The Labour Inspection publishes a model contract (modelul-cadru) approved by Order no. 2171/2022 (art. 17(8)), a useful benchmark for what a compliant contract looks like.

What must the employer tell me before I sign?

Before concluding or modifying the contract, the employer must inform you of the essential clauses it intends to include (art. 17(1)). The information must cover at least (art. 17(3)):

• the identity of the parties and the employer’s registered seat;
• the workplace, or the fact that you will work in several places and whether travel between them is covered;
• your function or occupation under the Romanian classification of occupations and the job description (fișa postului) with your duties;
• the criteria used to evaluate your professional activity;
• the specific risks of the job;
• the start date and, for a fixed-term or temporary contract, its duration;
• your annual leave entitlement;
• the conditions and length of notice for both parties;
• the base salary, the other salary components shown separately, how often and by what method you are paid;
• normal working time per day and week, how overtime is compensated or paid, and shift arrangements if any;
• the applicable collective agreement;
• the duration and conditions of the probation period, if there is one;
• procedures for electronic signatures, training rights, and benefits such as private health insurance or pension contributions paid by the employer.

These elements must also appear in the contract, except the collective agreement reference, the e-signature procedures and the training information (art. 17(4)). Any later change to one of them requires an addendum (act adițional) signed before the change takes effect, unless the change is imposed by law or by the collective agreement (art. 17(5)). You have the right to be assisted at negotiation, conclusion or modification by an external labour-law consultant or a union representative (art. 17(6)).

When must the employer register me in REVISAL?

Before you start. The contract is registered in the general register of employees (REVISAL) and transmitted to ITM at the latest the day before you begin work (art. 16(2); Government Decision no. 295/2025 on the REGES-ONLINE register, art. 5(1)(a)). You must receive a copy before you start (art. 16(3)) and a copy must be kept at your workplace (art. 16(4)).

You can check this yourself: the register is accessible online to employees and former employees for their own data, including a downloadable extract (art. 34(5^1)). On request the employer must issue a document attesting your employment, its duration, your salary and your seniority (art. 34(5)).

Fixed-term contract in Romania: what are the limits?

The rule is the indefinite-term (permanent) contract (contract pe perioadă nedeterminată); a fixed-term contract (contract pe perioadă determinată) is the exception, allowed only in the cases the law lists (art. 12). Art. 83 lists the permitted cases, for example replacing an employee whose contract is suspended, a temporary increase in the employer’s activity, seasonal work, or a specific project or programme.

A fixed-term employee may not be treated less favourably than a comparable permanent employee only because of the contract’s duration (art. 87(1)). The contract ends by law when the term expires (art. 56(1)(i)); no dismissal decision or notice is needed for that.

What clauses are prohibited in a Romanian employment contract?

The contract cannot contain provisions contrary to the law or rights below the minimum set by law or by the applicable collective agreement (art. 11), and you cannot validly waive rights granted by law (art. 38). In practice this rules out:

• a penalty clause fixing in advance the damage you would owe the employer (High Court decision no. 19/2019);
• disciplinary fines (art. 249(1)), and deductions without a legal basis or a final judgment (art. 169);
• probation beyond 90 or 120 calendar days or a second probation under the same contract (art. 31(1), art. 32(1));
• a resignation notice longer than 20 working days, or 45 for management roles (art. 81(4)), or a dismissal notice under 20 working days where notice is owed (art. 75(1));
• a non-compete clause without the mandatory elements, with an allowance below 50% of your average gross salary of the last 6 months, or longer than 2 years (art. 21(2) and (3), art. 22(1)); see the non-compete clause page;
• “overtime included in the salary”, since overtime must be compensated with time off or a supplement of at least 75% (art. 122 and 123);
• a clause letting the employer change your salary, role or workplace at will, because modification requires agreement except in the cases of the Code (art. 41, art. 48).

What should I check before signing?

• The Romanian text and the translation say the same thing.
• Job title, classification code and the job description match the role you were offered.
• Salary is stated gross, with each component separate, and the payment date is written (art. 17(3)(k)).
• Bonuses you were promised are in the contract or an addendum, not only in an email.
• Working time, overtime rule and any shift pattern (art. 17(3)(l)).
• Probation: present or not, how long, within the limits. See the probation period guide.
• Duration: indefinite, or fixed-term with the art. 83 case named.
• Notice periods for both sides. See resignation and notice period.
• Annual leave days, at least 20 working days (art. 145(1)).
• Non-compete, confidentiality, mobility or training clauses, and what they cost you.

I review contracts in English before you sign and tell you which clauses are standard, which are negotiable and which are unlawful. If the employer ends the contract early, read unfair dismissal in Romania. Start with the contact page, or read the overview on my employment law page.

Consolidated text of the law: Codul muncii, Legea nr. 53/2003 (legislatie.just.ro).