kathimerini.gr
Greece Lowers Social Security Contributions for Night and Weekend Work
A new Greek law, effective March 6th, 2025, reduces social security contributions on premiums for night work, overtime, and Sunday/holiday work for full-time employees across all sectors, leading to lower employer costs and potentially higher employee wages.
- How does the new law calculate the premium for night work, and what are some examples of its application?
- The new law, effective March 6th, 2025, aims to reduce the non-wage cost for employers by eliminating social security contributions on premiums for night work, overtime, and Sunday/holiday work for full-time employees across all economic sectors. This directly impacts businesses' operational costs and employees' net income.
- What are the potential long-term consequences of this legislation on employment levels and wage dynamics in various economic sectors?
- The long-term impact of this measure could include increased employment in sectors with high night or weekend work demands, as well as potentially higher wages as the cost savings are passed on to employees. However, the effectiveness depends on enforcement and whether the cost savings translate into actual wage increases.
- What are the immediate impacts of the new Greek law on social security contributions for night work, overtime, and weekend work for full-time employees?
- Starting March 6th, 2025, thousands of Greek businesses and full-time employees will see lower social security contributions and higher daily wages for night work, overtime, and Sunday/holiday work. This is due to a new law implementing reduced contributions on premiums for these work types.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The narrative frames the new law positively, emphasizing the reduction in social security contributions and increased daily wages for businesses and full-time employees. The examples highlight significant financial benefits. The headline (not provided in the text) would likely reinforce this positive framing. The overall tone is one of celebration of the advantages of the changes.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and factual. However, phrases like "significant reduction of non-salary costs" and "celebrating the advantages" subtly convey a positive bias. The text could be improved by employing more neutral terms in describing the impact of the new law. For example, instead of "significant reduction," one could use "reduction." Instead of "celebrating the advantages," one could use "illustrating the effects.
Bias by Omission
The provided text focuses on the positive impacts of the new law for businesses and full-time employees, but omits discussion of potential negative consequences or the impact on part-time employees. The analysis only presents examples that benefit from the changes, neglecting cases where the law might offer no benefit or even disadvantage some workers. This selective presentation of information may create a biased perception of the law's overall effect.
Gender Bias
The examples used in the text do not explicitly demonstrate gender bias. The scenarios involve workers of different occupations and employment types without any apparent gender-specific language or unequal treatment. However, to be more comprehensive, the examples should include a more diverse representation of genders to definitively rule out any potential gender bias.
Sustainable Development Goals
The new law improves working conditions and increases pay for night, overtime, and holiday work, boosting workers' income and potentially stimulating economic growth. The reduction in social security contributions further enhances the positive impact on both employees and employers.