Labour Law [LL], dated 2005 as last amended in 2013 by Law No. 32/2013
Consolidated version available in Serbian
Date:23 Sep 2023;
voir le site internet »
Act on Peaceful Settlement of Labour Disputes, 2004 as last amended with Law No 104/2009
Date:23 Sep 2023;
(voir dans NATLEX »)
Taille des entreprises exclues (≤): 20
Exclusion only applicable to collective dismissals: see definition of collective dismissal: art. 153 LL.
However, those enterprises are not excluded from the regulation on individual dismissal.
Catégories de travailleurs exclues: aucune
Art. 2: "provisions of this law shall apply to employees of public bodies, territorial autonomy bodies and local self-government and public services, unless the law stipulates otherwise".
Act on Public servants (2005) refers to the application of the general labour law unless it is stipulated otherwise.
Ongoing discussions on the modernization of the Labour Law in order to reflect EU Law.
CDD reglementés: Oui
Motifs autorisés de recours au CDD: raisons matérielles et objectives
Art. 37 LL: labour relations shall be entered into for a period that is set in advance in the following cases: seasonal jobs, project-based work, increase volume of work that will last for a definite term, etc.
Nombre maximum de CDD successifs: aucune limitation
Art. 37 LL: no maximum number of successive FTC, but maximum duration of labour relations for a definite term of 12 months with or without interruptions.
Durée cumulée maximum de CDD successifs: 12mois
Art. 37 LL.
Durée maximale de la période d'essai (en mois): 6 mois
Art. 36 LL.
Obligation d'informer le travailleur des raisons du licenciement:
Oui
Art. 180 LL.
Art. 179 refers to "a just cause relating to his/her working ability, behavior and employer's need" and provides an exhaustive list of 9 instances when termination of employment by the employer is authorized.
Art. 18 LL: general provision on non discrimination.
Art. 183 LL: list of prohibited grounds for dismissal.
* Workers' representatives: art. 188 LL: no dismissal during the term of office.
* No dismissal during pregnancy, maternity leave, absence for childcare or special care of the child: art. 187 LL.
Forme de la notification du licenciement au travailleur: écrite
Art. 185 LL.
Délai de préavis:
Art. 189 LL foresees a notice period only for those employees dismissed for lack of performance, i.e. qualifications and skills.
Notice period is minimum 1 month and maximum 3 months depending on the "duration of the insurance period" (period for which the employee has paid contributions for the retirement insurance), as follows:
- 1 month for up to 10 years of insurance period;
- 2 months for 10-20 years of insurance period;
- 3 months over 20 years of insurance period.
ancienneté ≥ 6 mois:
ancienneté ≥ 9 mois:
ancienneté ≥ 2 ans:
ancienneté ≥ 4 ans:
ancienneté ≥ 5 ans:
ancienneté ≥ 10 ans:
ancienneté ≥ 20 ans:
Indemnité compensatrice de préavis: Oui
Art. 189 LL
Only applicable for dismissal for lack of performance, i.e. qualifications and skills.
Notification à l'administration publique: Non
Notification aux représentants des travailleurs: Non
Exception: Trade union must be notified in case of dismissal of trade union member: art. 181 LL.
Autorisation de l'administration publique ou d'un organe judiciaire: Non
Accord des représentants des travailleurs: Non
Définition du licenciement collectif (nombre d'employés concernés):
At least:
1) 10 employees out of a total of 20 to 99 staff employed for an indefinite term, over a period of 30 days;
2) 10% of employees, out of a total of 100 to 299 staff employed for an indefinite term, over a period of 30 days;
3) 30 employees out of at least 300 staff employed for an indefinite term, over a period of 30 days;
4) 20 employees notwithstanding of the number of employees, over a period of 90 days.
Art. 153 LL.
Consultation préalable des syndicats (représentants des travailleurs): Oui
Art. 154 and 156 LL.
Notification à l'administration publique: Oui
Art. 155 and 156 LL.
Notification aux représentants des travailleurs: Oui
Art. 156 LL.
Autorisation de l'administration publique ou d'un organe judiciaire: Non
Accord des représentants des travailleurs: Non
Règles de priorité pour l'ordre des des licenciements collectifs (situation sociale, âge, ancienneté): Non
No criteria listed.
Art. 155 LL only refers to criteria as one of the elements to be communicated to the workers' representatives for consultation.
Obligation de l'employeur d'examiner des solutions alternatives au licenciement (transferts, formation...): Oui
Art. 155 and 156 LL.
Règles de priorité de réembauche: Oui
Art. 182 LL: preferential right to re-employment for 6 months.
Indemnité de licenciement:
The provision on severance pay (art. 190) has been deleted from the 2005 Labour Law.
ancienneté ≥ 6 mois: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 9 mois: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 1 an: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 4 ans: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 5 ans: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 10 ans: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 20 ans: 0 mois
Indemnité de licenciement pour motif économique:
Art. 158 LL established a minimum statutory payment to be paid prior to terminating an employment contract on the grounds that "due to technological, economic or organizational changes a particular job becomes redundant or volume of work be reduced".
The amount of redundancy payment is to be set out in the contract but shall not be less than the sum of 1/3 of the monthly salary for each full year of service for the first ten years and 1/4 of the salary for each full year of service after 10 years of employment.
ancienneté ≥ 6 mois: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 9 mois: 0 mois
ancienneté ≥ 1 an: 0.33 mois
ancienneté ≥ 2 ans: 0.66 mois
ancienneté ≥ 4 ans: 1.33 mois
ancienneté ≥ 5 ans: 1.66 mois
ancienneté ≥ 10 ans: 3.3 mois
ancienneté ≥ 20 ans: 5.83 mois
1) Dismissal based on the worker's conduct or capacity: no statutory severance pay.
(The provision on severance pay for capacity-based dismissal (art. 190) has been deleted from the 2005 Labour Law.)
2) Economic dismissal (individual and collective): redundancy payment.
Compensation pour licenciement injustifié - montant librement déterminé par la cour: Non
Art. 191 LL.
Compensation pour licenciement injustifié - limites légales (plafond en mois ou methode de calcul définie):
Damages in lieu of reinstatement:
- max. 18 months' salary when the employee does not wish to be reinstated or
- max. 36 months upon request or the employer or when case the existing circumstances suggest that the continuation of labor relations is not possible.
Art. 191, ParagraphParagraph 4-5 LL.
Possibilité de réintégration dans l'emploi: Oui
Art. 191 ParagraphParagraph 1-2 LL.
Note that, when reinstatement is ordered, the employer shall also pay compensation for the lost salary and other emoluments which the employee is legally entitled to.
Courts ou tribunaux compétents: juridiction ordinaire
Art. 21 of the Law on Organization of Courts (2002): the municipal court has jurisdiction to hear termination of employment disputes at first instance.
Règlement des litiges individuels par arbitrage: Oui
Termination of employment disputes can be settled through arbitration: Art. 194 LL and art. 30 Act on Peaceful settlement of Labour Disputes.
Durée de la procédure: 6mois (statutory)
Art. 195 LL.
* The legal proceedings may be initiated 30 days after the decision has been served to the employee.
* The dispute before the court shall be terminated 6 months after initiation of the proceedings at the latest.
* In case of amicable settlement through arbitration, the decision shall be passed within 10 days :art. 194 LL.