Razones de utilización legítima de CDD: razones materiales y objetivas

Remarks

Art. 1.1 of the Decree 368/2001 lists the grounds based on which the fixed term contract (when concluded with justification) can be concluded: reasons of technical nature, reasons of production, organization and in the in case of substitution of temporary absent employee.

Art. 10 Leg. Decree 368/2001 provides for specific exceptions:
(in particular to the tourism sector, agricultural sector, contracts concluded with executives (dirigenti): see. Art. 10 on the scope of application).

Número máximo de CDD consecutivos: sin restricción

Remarks

Renewal is allowed once only for fixed-term contracts with an initial duration of less than 3 years: art. 4 Leg. Decree 368/2001.
Renewal is not possible for longer FTC.

Duración máxima acumulativa de CDD consecutivos: 36mes(es)

Remarks

Art. 4 Leg. Decree 368/2001
However, further renewal is possible if authorized by the Direzione Provinciale del Lavoro (art 4 bis of Leg. Decree 368/2001 as inserted by sec. 40, Act 247/2007).

Note: This limitation only applies to successive FTC. In the case of a single FTC, no maximum duration is fixed by the law.

% de trabajadores bajo CDD: 13.4

Remarks

Source: Eurostat, annual average (2011)
The figure refers to the percentage of employee with a contract of limited duration (= temporary job) of total number of employee aged 15-74 years.
Eurostat data are based on the following definition:
"A job may be considered temporary if employer and employee agree that its end is determined by objective conditions such as a specific date, the completion of a task or the return of another employee who has been temporarily replaced (usually stated in a work contract of limited duration). Typical cases are: (a) persons with seasonal employment; (b) persons engaged by an agency or employment exchange and hired to a third party to perform a specific task (unless there is a written work contract of unlimited duration); (c) persons with specific training contracts."

Duración maxima del periodo de prueba (en meses): 6 mes(es)

Remarks

Probationary period is governed by collective agreement. However there is a statutory limit of 6 months: art. 10 Act 604/1966.

Obligación de motivar el despido: Si

Remarks

Art. 2 Act 604/1966: if requested by the worker within 15 days from the notification.

Motivos autorizados (despido justificado): cualquiera justa causa

Remarks

A dismissal is unfair unless it is for a just cause (no notice required) or a justified motive (notice required)
See art. 1 and 3 Act 604/1966 and art. 2119 CC.

Under art. 2119 C.C., 'just cause', in broad terms, requires very grave conduct which, when evaluated both subjectively and objectively, constitutes a serious and irremediable reason that prevents the parties to continue the employment relationship even on an interim basis. Whether such a breach has occurred would normally have to be determined ultimately by a court, taking all relevant factors into account.
Justified reason is defined as a very significant breach of contract made on the side of the employee (subjective justified reason) as well as ; or reasons inherent in the production process, the organization of work or the smooth running of the undertaking (objective justified reason) (sec. 3, Act 604).

Motivos prohibidos: estado civil, embarazo, licencia de maternidad, responsabilidades familiares, raza, sexo, orientación sexual, religión, opinion política, edad, afiliación sindical y actividades sindicales, discapacidad, licencia paternal, participación en una huelga legal, licencia de adopción

Remarks

Art. 15 and Art. 18 Act 300/1970, as amended by Law 92/2012 .
Art. 3 Act 604/1966
Art. 35 Legislative Decree 198/2006
Art. 54 Legislative Decree 151/2001
Art. 18 (1) Act 53/2000.

Trabajadores que gozan de una protección particular (fuero): representantes de los trabajadores, mujeres embarazadas o con licencia de maternidad, trabajadores con responsabilidades familiares

Remarks

- Worker's representatives: there is a protection in art. 28 Act 300/1970 (workers' statute) which provides for specific simplified procedure for reinstatement following unfair dismissal. Specific remedies are also provided under Art. 18 Act 300/1970

- Pregnant women, women on maternity leave, women with family responsibilities: see Legislative Decree 151 of 2001 on the protection of maternity and paternity. According to art. 54, dismissal is prohibited form the beginning of the pregnancy and up to a maximum of one year after the birth of the child.
This prohibition does not however prevent an employer for dismissing a female employee in the event of serious misconduct (just cause) or in case of cessation of the activities of the employer.

- Workers on paternity leave equally benefit from the protection against dismissal. (note however that under Italian law, a worker is entitled to paternity leave in limited situations: death of the mother, serious disability or abandonment by the mother or exclusive custody of the child to the father).

- The prohibition of dismissal has also been extended to cover adoption leave (up until one year after the child has entered the family).

Forma de la notificación del despido al trabajador: escrita

Remarks

Art. 2 Act 604/1966

Plazo de preaviso:

Remarks

The length of the notice period is governed by collective agreements according to the employee's length of service and category.
See also art. 2118 CC.

Indemnización sustitutiva de preaviso: Si

Remarks

Art. 2118 Civil Code

Notificación a la administración: No

Notificación a los representantes de los trabajadores: No

Aprobación de la administración publica o de organismos judiciales: No

Acuerdo de los representantes de los trabajadores: No

Definición de despido colectivo (número de empleados afectados): Over a period of 120 days, in undertakings with 15 or more employees, concerning at least 5 employees in a single unit of production or at least 5 employees in several units belonging to a single employer within one province.

Remarks

Art. 24, Act 223/1991

Consultación previa con los sindicatos (representantes de los trabajadores): Si

Remarks

Art. 4 read together with art. 24 Act 223/1991.

Notificación a la administración: Si

Remarks

Art. 4 read together with art. 24 Act 223/1991.

Notificación a los representantes de los trabajadores: Si

Remarks

Art. 4 read together with art. 24 Act 223/1991.

Aprobación de la administración publica o de organismos judiciales: No

Acuerdo de los representantes de los trabajadores: No

Reglas de prioridad para los despidos colectivos (consideraciones sociales, edad, años de servicio): Si

Remarks

Art. 5 (1) read together with art. 24 Act 223/1991 : Mandatory list of 3 criteria to be considered unless provided otherwise in collective agreement: 1) family responsibilities, 2) job tenure, 3) technical, production-related and organizational requirements. But no specified priority between those criteria.

Obligación del empleador de considerar solucionés alternativas al despido (transferencia, formación...): Si

Remarks

Art. 4(4): refers to alternatives to redundancy and measures to mitigate the social effects of redundancy as part of the elements to be communicated to the trade union representatives for the purpose of consultation.
Art. 4 (5) as modified by art. 1 Act (D. Leg.) 151/1997, read together with art. 24 Act 223/1991 : mandatory examination of the possibility to adopt social measures (i.e retraining).
However, no formal adoption of a social plan is required.

Reglas de prioridad para la re-contratación: Si

Remarks

Art. 8 Act 223/1991 referring to art 15 Paragraph 6 Act 264/1949.
Preferential rehiring during six months. Before 2002 this period was one year.

duración de servicio ≥ 6 meses: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 9 meses: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 1 año: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 4 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 5 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 10 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 20 años: 0 mes(es)

Indemnización por despido por razones económicas:

duración de servicio ≥ 6 meses: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 9 meses: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 1 año: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 2 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 4 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 5 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 10 años: 0 mes(es)

duración de servicio ≥ 20 años: 0 mes(es)

Notas / Comentarios

Notas

No severance pay as such. However, there is an end-of-employment contract indemnity (TFR: Trattamento di fine rapporto: sec. 2120 CC) constituted by a certain amount of salary set aside each month to be paid to each employee upon termination of the employment contract.
It is calculated according to the formula of a year's overall salary divided by 13.5, plus 1.5 per cent for each year of service plus compensation for inflation. It is payable whenever an employment contract ends for whatever reason, and is based on length of service with the company.
The TFR payment scheme has been reformed. Since 2007, the employer's contributions for the TFR have been transferred to either a state pension fund or private complementary pension funds.

Compensación por despido injustificado - libre determinación de la Corte: No

Compensación por despido injustificado - límites legales (techo calculado en meses o método de calculo): 1) For employers with more than 15 employees (or five in the agricultural sector) in one production unit, or more than one in the same municipality, and employers employing more than 60 workers wherever located. In case of unfair dismissal (lack of justification, discriminatory, irregular procedures):
* Mandatory reinstatement of the dismissed employee and payment of damages for the period between dismissal and the reinstatement but not less than five months' pay.
* Alternatively, when reinstatement is refused by the employee: payment of damages amounting to 15 months' pay.

2) For establishments with up to 15 employees (or 5 in the agricultural sector):
* Rehiring (new contract) or if refused by the employer, compensation ranging from 2,5 to six months' pay (depending on job tenure and firm size), up to 10 months pay for more than 10 years of service, and up to 14 months for more than 20 years of service. However, when the dismissal is held to be discriminatory or however based on prohibited grounds or retaliatory or in any other case in which the law provides the dismissal to be held null and void mandatory reinstatement of the dismissed employee and payment of damages for the period between the dismissal and the reinstatement but not less than five months' pay would apply.

Remarks

First category, see: art. 18 Act 300/1970 (workers' statute).
Second category, see: art. 8 Act 604/1966.

Posibilidad de readmisión: Si

Remarks

Depending on the number of employees as previously mentioned reinstatement can be either mandatory or optional: art. 18 Act 300/1970 Act (workers' statute) and art. 8 Act 604/1966.

Conciliación previa obligatoria: Si

Remarks

Art. 5 Act 108/1990 (applicable only to dismissals within establishments with up to 15 employees).
(Note: when this article is not applicable, conciliation is optional according to art. 410 Civil Procedure Code).

Corte o Tribunal competente: tribunal del trabajo

Remarks

Art. 413 Civil Procedure Code.
The labour court "giudice del lavoro" is integrated into the organization of the general civil court system, but follow special procedures.

Arbitraje: Si

Remarks

Art. 412-ter Civil Procedure Code: arbitration must be foreseen by a collective agreement.

Duración del procedimiento: 23mes(es)

Remarks

As of 2004, for first instance cases
(26 months for appeal cases)
Source: http://www.corteappellocatania.it/formazione/051007/durata.pdf, p. 3
citing the 2006 report of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice : http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/cooperation/cepej/default_en.asp)