# Employment contract in Georgia — what to check An employment contract protects both the employee and the employer — if it's written properly. Here is what the law requires and where people most often go wrong. We draft and review employment contracts before they are signed. - Confidential - Georgian · English · Russian - Free first consultation - Courts of all instances Under the Labour Code, if the employment lasts more than 1 month, the contract must be in writing (Article 12). It must be in a language both parties understand; if it is in several languages, it must say which version prevails (Article 13). A contract term that contradicts the law and puts the employee in a worse position is void (Article 14). ## What the contract must include - The parties' details - Start date and duration - Working and rest time - Place of work - Position and description of the work - Salary, bonuses and how they are paid - Pay for overtime - Leave — paid and unpaid - How the contract can be ended ## Probation period - Only once and for no more than 6 months - Only in writing - Work during probation is paid - The employer can end the contract at any time during probation ## Fixed-term contracts A contract for less than 1 year may be made only on grounds listed in the law — for example seasonal or temporary work. If a fixed-term contract exceeds 30 months, or successive contracts last more than 30 months in total, it is treated as open-ended. ## Working time and pay - No more than 40 hours a week (48 in special-regime businesses) - At least 12 hours' rest between working days - Overtime is paid at an increased rate or compensated with extra time off - Salary at least once a month; for each day of delay the employer pays 0.07% of the overdue amount ## Common mistakes - Salary "by agreement" with no exact amount - A vague job description - Unspecific confidentiality and non-compete clauses - A clause giving up leave — it's void - A contract only in a language the employee doesn't understand ## Will a template do? A template is written for a general case and doesn't reflect your risks — often it lacks exactly the clause you'll need in a dispute. It's better to fit the contract to your deal. We draft the contract or review the other side's text before you sign. ## Our services - Drafting employment contracts for employers - Reviewing a contract for an employee before signing - Bilingual contracts — Georgian and English or Russian - Confidentiality and non-compete clauses - Preparing internal work rules - Contracts for foreign employees under the labour migration rules ## Questions & answers ### Does an employment contract have to be in writing? If the work lasts more than 1 month — yes. A probation contract is always in writing. ### How long can a probation period be? No more than 6 months and only once. Work during probation is paid. ### When does a fixed-term contract become open-ended? If it exceeds 30 months, or successive fixed-term contracts last more than 30 months in total. Also if a contract under 1 year was made without a lawful ground. ### Can I use a template from the internet? You can, but a template is written for a general case and often lacks exactly the clause you'll need in a dispute. It's better to fit the contract to your deal or have a lawyer review it before you sign. ## Legal basis - [Labour Code of Georgia](https://matsne.gov.ge/ka/document/view/1155567) Official texts (in Georgian) — Legislative Herald of Georgia, matsne.gov.ge. ## Related topics - [#Employment](https://mmlaw.ge/en/employment-lawyer/) - [#Business](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corporate-lawyer/) - - [Employment and labour lawyer](https://mmlaw.ge/en/employment-lawyer/) - - [Freelancer tax in Georgia: Upwork, Fiverr, foreign salary](https://mmlaw.ge/en/freelancer-tax-georgia/) - - [Unfairly dismissed in Georgia? What to do](https://mmlaw.ge/en/blog/unlawful-dismissal-georgia/) - - [Work permit & sole trader · For foreigners](https://mmlaw.ge/en/foreigners/work-permit-and-sole-trader/) - - [Unfair dismissal](https://mmlaw.ge/en/unfair-dismissal/) - - [Labour Code of Georgia: leave, maternity, salary](https://mmlaw.ge/en/labour-code-leave-salary/) - - [IT companies and IT specialists · For foreigners](https://mmlaw.ge/en/foreigners/it-companies-in-georgia/) - - [Working remotely from Georgia · For foreigners](https://mmlaw.ge/en/foreigners/working-remotely-from-georgia/) Practice areas ## Other practice areas - [Criminal defense](https://mmlaw.ge/en/criminal-defense-lawyer/) — Defense at every stage — from investigation and arrest to trial and appeal. - [Drug offences](https://mmlaw.ge/en/drug-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in cases of buying, possessing, selling and importing drugs — and against fines and administrative detention. - [Cybercrime](https://mmlaw.ge/en/cybercrime-lawyer/) — Defense in cybercrime cases and help for victims of online fraud, hacked accounts and blackmail. - [Property crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/property-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in theft, robbery, fraud, extortion, embezzlement and misappropriation cases. - [Economic crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/economic-crime-lawyer/) — Defence against tax evasion, money laundering, customs and other economic charges. - [Corruption and official crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corruption-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in bribery, trading in influence and abuse of official power cases. - [Violent crimes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/violent-crime-lawyer/) — Defence in assault, bodily injury, threats and homicide cases — including self-defence. - [Juvenile justice](https://mmlaw.ge/en/juvenile-justice-lawyer/) — Specialised representation of minors, focused on their rights and future. - [Civil litigation](https://mmlaw.ge/en/civil-litigation-lawyer/) — Contract, property and damages disputes — negotiated or argued in court. - [Administrative law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/administrative-law-lawyer/) — Challenging decisions of public bodies, fines, permits and licences. - [Labor disputes](https://mmlaw.ge/en/employment-lawyer/) — Unlawful dismissal, unpaid wages and employment contracts — for employees and employers. - [Corporate law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/corporate-lawyer/) — Company formation, contracts, compliance and shareholder matters. - [Real estate](https://mmlaw.ge/en/real-estate-lawyer/) — Due diligence, purchase agreements, registration and property disputes. - [Family law](https://mmlaw.ge/en/family-lawyer/) — Divorce, custody, alimony and division of property — handled with discretion. - [Inheritance](https://mmlaw.ge/en/inheritance-lawyer/) — Accepting an inheritance, the certificate of inheritance, wills and disputes between heirs. - [Intellectual property](https://mmlaw.ge/en/intellectual-property-lawyer/) — Trademarks, copyright and protection of your creative and business assets. --- Source: https://mmlaw.ge/en/employment-contract-georgia/ · MMLAW · +995 551 00 43 00 · info@mmlaw.ge