Spain Employment Contract Guide: Types, 2022 Reform & Essential Clauses

Whether you're hiring employees in Spain or accepting a job offer from a Spanish company, understanding the legal framework of employment contracts (contrato de trabajo) is essential. The 2022 labor reform (reforma laboral) significantly changed how employment contracts work in Spain.

The 2022 Labor Reform: What Changed

The central goal of Spain's 2022 labor reform was to make permanent contracts (contrato indefinido) the default. Before the reform, temporary contracts were widely overused, leading to one of Europe's highest rates of precarious employment.

Key changes:

• Permanent contracts are now prioritized as the standard form
• Fixed-discontinuous contracts (contrato fijo-discontinuo) introduced for seasonal work
• Temporary contracts restricted to production needs or substitution only
• Maximum temporary contract duration: 6 months (up to 1 year by collective agreement)

Main Types of Employment Contracts in Spain

Probation Periods (Período de prueba)

During probation, either party can terminate the contract without notice.

2025 Minimum Wage (SMI)

Spain's 2025 Salario Mínimo Interprofesional (SMI) is EUR 1,184 per month (based on 14 payments per year), approximately EUR 16,576 annually.

Mandatory Contract Clauses

Spanish law requires every employment contract to include:

• Identity of employer and employee (identidad)
• Job title and description (puesto de trabajo)
• Salary and compensation (salario)
• Working hours and schedule (jornada laboral)
• Applicable collective agreement (convenio colectivo)
• Workplace location (centro de trabajo)
• Start and end dates (for temporary contracts)
• Probation period (if applicable)

SEPE Registration

All employment contracts must be registered with SEPE (Servicio Público de Empleo Estatal) within 10 business days of signing.

Sharing Employment Contracts Securely

Employment contracts contain sensitive personal information — national ID numbers (DNI/NIE), salary details, personal contact information. Sharing these documents through unprotected email or messaging apps like iMessage creates data exposure risks.

With LOCK.PUB, you can share employment contracts through password-protected memo links with expiration dates, ensuring sensitive employment documents don't remain accessible indefinitely.

Practical Tips

1. Written contracts required: Contracts lasting more than 1 month must be in writing
2. Employee's right to a copy: Workers are entitled to receive a copy of their contract
3. Check collective agreements: Industry-specific collective agreements may provide better terms than legal minimums
4. Social security registration: Employers must register employees with the Social Security system (Seguridad Social)

Employment law in Spain is complex, but proper contract management protects both employers and employees. When sharing contract documents, use secure tools like LOCK.PUB to keep personal data safe.