Employment
A liberal Labour Code substantially re-regulated in 2020
The Labour Code of 2010 was among the most employer-friendly in the region until major amendments in 2020 introduced working time limits, overtime rules, anti-discrimination provisions and a labour inspectorate with full enforcement powers.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National, private and public sectors.
- Deadline — Claims contesting dismissal: 30 days from receipt of written notice of termination
Governing law
- Labour Code of GeorgiaOrganic Law, 2010, substantially amended 2020
- Law on Labour Inspection (2020) — inspection mandate and powers
In practice
The 2020 reform was a significant shift. It capped normal working time at 40 hours a week, regulated overtime and rest periods, required written justification for dismissal, prohibited discrimination on an enumerated list of grounds, and re-established the Labour Inspection Service with powers to enter workplaces and impose sanctions. Before 2020 dismissal required little more than notice and severance. Fixed-term contracts are now restricted to defined circumstances, with a presumption of indefinite duration otherwise. The changes were driven substantially by commitments under the EU Association Agreement.