Greek Minister of Labour and Social Security Niki Kerameus has presented draft legislation setting strict rules on workplace artificial intelligence and protecting platform workers.
The bill incorporates European Union Directive 2024/2831 into national law, curbing uncontrolled algorithmic management, requiring human supervision over critical employment decisions, and establishing a legal presumption of dependent employment for gig economy staff.
Kerameus outlined the proposals to the cabinet before detailing them at a press conference in Athens alongside General Secretary Nikos Milapidis. She described artificial intelligence as an exceptionally useful tool that significantly enhances labour market productivity, but stressed that clear safeguards are required to protect workers and maintain market stability.
Kerameus said the deployment of new technologies must take place under conditions of transparency. She explained that the proposed law ensures this balance by establishing human oversight of algorithmic platform management and introducing substantive statutory protections for platform workers.
The measure is formally titled Rules on the use of artificial intelligence in the labour market, protection of platform workers, transposition of Directive (EU) 2024/2831 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2024 and other provisions. Kerameus noted that extensive consultations have taken place with national social partners and industry representatives throughout the drafting process, with dozens of their recommendations already incorporated ahead of an upcoming public consultation.
Limits on algorithmic management
The draft legislation is structured around two main pillars, the first of which establishes statutory limits on the use of algorithms and artificial intelligence in the Greek labour market for the first time. The new provisions enhance transparency by requiring platforms to inform workers about the methods, data, and decision-making criteria that affect their employment status.
The bill strictly prohibits the processing of specific categories of sensitive personal data through automated systems. Employers and platforms will be barred from tracking or analysing a worker's psychological state, private conversations, biometric data, medical history, or racial origin.
Under the new framework, platforms must conduct data protection impact assessments and guarantee the portability of worker data. The legislation also requires automated systems to be evaluated with the direct participation of employee representatives.
Human oversight will be compulsory for any pivotal decision affecting a worker's position. Decisions to restrict, suspend, or terminate a worker's account or commercial collaboration must be taken with human involvement rather than by automated systems alone. Workers will also have the right to receive explanations for algorithmic decisions and to request formal human reviews of determinations made exclusively through automated processing.
Health safeguards and consultation rights
The legislation includes specific health and safety obligations to protect staff from the physical and mental strains associated with automated management. Digital platforms will be legally required to introduce protective measures guarding workers against the health risks created by algorithmic systems.
Platforms planning to introduce algorithms must notify and consult in advance with employee representatives, or directly with the workers themselves if no representatives exist. The bill also provides that workers may be assisted by independent experts during these consultation processes.
These measures form part of a broader push to establish a coherent regulatory framework that promotes fair treatment, transparency, and a level playing field for digital services, while enhancing enforcement mechanisms and facilitating access to justice.
Platform employment status and registry
The second pillar of the bill addresses working conditions across digital platforms, introducing a rebuttable presumption of dependent employment. Under this provision, a contractual relationship between a worker and a platform will be legally treated as an employment relationship whenever the factual reality of the work indicates direction and control.
The presumption is designed to prevent bogus self-employment, where businesses classify regular workers as independent contractors to avoid statutory obligations. However, the presumption remains rebuttable, allowing platforms to disprove employment status by proving genuine operational autonomy. Service provision will continue to be legally recognized through either dependent employment or independent contracting, depending on the genuine conditions of work.
To ensure effective enforcement, the draft bill establishes a dedicated registry for digital platforms within the state ERGANI information system. Platforms operating in Greece will be required to register, declare all individuals performing work through their services, and regularly update competent public authorities with accurate information about their service providers.
Parental leave and youth healthcare reforms
The draft legislation also introduces targeted provisions to ease access to parental leave for working families. Under the new rules, parents will no longer be required to wait a full year between two separate periods of parental leave.
Where both parents work for the same employer, the requirement to formally declare the order in which they will take parental leave will be abolished. In addition, working people will be permitted to access statutory carer leave without having to complete six months of service with their employer.
The bill resolves a long-standing administrative barrier regarding public health insurance for young adults. Healthcare rights currently cease automatically when a person reaches the age of 18, requiring young people to re-register with the national social security fund, e-EFKA, as either higher education students or registered unemployed jobseekers through the Public Employment Service, DYPA.
The proposed amendment bridges this interim gap by preserving health insurance coverage until young people secure coverage under another qualifying status. Kerameus noted that a final-year high school student turning 18 in January will no longer lose social insurance rights upon reaching adulthood, retaining continuous healthcare coverage throughout the transition.
Unpaid wages at Pizza Fan chain
At the press conference, Kerameus addressed an ongoing dispute over unpaid wages affecting staff at the restaurant chain Pizza Fan. She stated that the Ministry of Labour and Social Security is monitoring the case closely and remains in continuous contact with representatives from both the workforce and company management.
Kerameus reported that the payment of overdue back wages commenced at the end of last week, starting with staff at franchise stores. She said payments are currently underway for approximately 500 workers employed directly by the parent company.
The ministry will host a joint meeting with representatives of both sides tomorrow to address the issue, with Kerameus stating that protecting workers remains the government's paramount priority.
