I’m an American looking to hire developers in the EU for one of our business units. I’ve been absolutely astonished by European employment ‘contracts’ that require a 3 month (!) or longer (!!) notice period to quit a job. It’s difficult for me to understand how this isn’t indentured servitude, especially in a region known for its stronger labor protections than the US. Here in America employees customarily put in 2-3 weeks of notice, maybe 4- but it’s purely a courtesy, and technically the employee could leave literally anytime they want. A contract stating that you’re not allowed to leave without 3 months of notice seems extraordinarily restrictive. (What happens if you ignore it?) I can’t imagine how a future employer can wait a full quarter to just hire someone- so this must greatly restrict labor mobility and hence wages. How is this legal, in the famously pro-labor EU?
Story Published at: February 16, 2023 at 02:23PM
Story Published at: February 16, 2023 at 02:23PM