Employment contract in Italy: Template, Key Clauses and Local Law (2026)

Short answer An employment contract in Italy is shaped by three layers: the national law (the Civil Code and statutes), the sector wide collective bargaining agreement, called the CCNL, that applies to the role, and the individual contract. Much of what people expect to set in the contract, such as minimum pay, probation limits, notice periods and severance detail, is actually governed by the CCNL for your sector, not by free negotiation. Under the Transparency Decree (Legislative Decree 104/2022), the employer must give the worker written information on all the key terms of the job on or before the first day, and the probation clause must be in writing. This page explains the main rules and gives a clause checklist, but it is general information, not legal advice. Italian labour law is detailed and sector specific, so check the applicable CCNL and take local advice before you hire. ## Is a written contract required, and in what language Italian law does not always require a single signed contract document for an open ended job to be valid, but it does require the employer to deliver written information about the essential terms. Under the Transparency Decree, which applies to contracts from 13 August 2022, this written information must be given at hiring or within a short period of the start date, and it can be delivered through the contract itself or a written notice. Certain clauses, in particular the probation clause and fixed term, must be in writing to be effective. Language matters in practice. Contracts are normally in Italian, and Italian is the language that governs dealings with authorities, the labour inspectorate and the courts. A bilingual contract is common when hiring non Italian speakers, but the Italian version usually prevails. Do not silently translate defined legal terms or role titles, since their meaning is set by Italian law and the CCNL. A separate step is the compulsory hiring notification. Employers must file the UniLav communication with the public employment system by the day before the employee starts. This is an administrative obligation on top of the contract. ## The mandatory and key terms to include The written information required by law, together with the CCNL, drives what your contract should contain. The usual key terms are: - Identity of the employer and the employee, and the employer's registered office.

• Place of work, or a statement that work is at various locations or remote.
• Start date, and for a fixed term contract the end date and the reason allowed by law.
• Job title, category or level, and a description of duties.
• The applicable CCNL, which sets pay scales, working hours and much else.
• Pay: the gross salary, how it is structured and when it is paid. Italy has no single national statutory minimum wage; minimum pay is set by the relevant CCNL.
• Working hours, rest, holidays and leave entitlements, which follow law and the CCNL.
• Probation period, if any, which must be in writing.
• Notice periods for termination, as set by the CCNL.
• Reference to end of service severance, known as TFR. ## Probation and notice Probation is not automatic. If the parties want a trial period, it must be agreed in writing and signed, under Article 2096 of the Civil Code, and the maximum length depends on the CCNL and cannot exceed six months in any case. If the employer fails to put the probation clause in writing, it generally loses the benefit of probation, including any reduced notice. For fixed term contracts, a 2024 law changed the maximum probation length and official guidance followed in 2025, so check the current limits for fixed term roles. Italy has no single statutory notice period for open ended contracts. The required notice depends on the CCNL and usually varies with seniority and job category. Dismissal is also subject to just cause or justified reason rules and to procedural protections, so termination is not at will. ## Severance (TFR) Every employee in Italy is entitled to an end of service payment called Trattamento di Fine Rapporto, or TFR, when employment ends for any reason. It accrues each year of service, based on a share of annual pay set by the Civil Code formula, and is either held by the employer or paid into a pension fund, depending on the employee's choice and the size of the employer. Because TFR is a legal entitlement, you cannot contract it away. ## Tax and social security Employers must register with the social security body (INPS) and the workplace insurance body (INAIL), withhold income tax from salary as a withholding agent, and pay employer social contributions on top of gross pay. The exact rates depend on the sector, role and CCNL. Treat payroll set up as a specialist task and confirm current rates with a local payroll provider or advisor. ## A template outline you can adapt ``` EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT (CONTRATTO DI LAVORO) 1. Parties: employer [name, registered office, VAT/tax code] and employee [name, tax code, address].

2. Applicable CCNL: [sector collective agreement], level/category [ ].
3. Role: job title, duties, place of work (or remote/various).
4. Type and start: open ended or fixed term [end date + legal reason]; start date [ ].
5. Probation: [length within CCNL limit, max 6 months], in writing.
6. Working hours: [weekly hours], rest and overtime per law and CCNL.
7. Pay: gross annual salary [ ], number of instalments, payment date.
8. Holidays and leave: per law and CCNL.
9. Notice: per CCNL by seniority and category.
10. TFR: end of service severance accrues per law.
11. Confidentiality, data protection (GDPR), and any non compete (subject to strict legal limits on duration, scope and paid consideration).
12. Governing law: Italian law; disputes before the competent labour court.