Contracts must set out pay, working hours and collective agreement from 5 October

Employment contracts must provide more precise information about working conditions from 5 October 2026. Royal Decree 723/2026 requires employers to give this information in writing before work begins, either in the contract itself or in a separate document. The rule applies throughout Spain and also affects workers and employers in Guardamar and the Vega Baja.

The text requires employers to itemise basic pay and supplements, state how often and by what means they are paid, and explain how variable pay is calculated and what criteria must be met to receive it. For working hours, the information must cover daily, weekly and annual hours, shifts, night work, changes to working hours and overtime. Holiday entitlement and the probationary period must also be included.

The written information must identify the employee’s duties and workplace, as well as the duration of temporary contracts or the reason for them. The applicable collective agreement must be specified by its code, publication details and period of validity. Rather than making a general reference to pay or working hours being «in accordance with the collective agreement», the rules allow employers to refer to the relevant provisions if they are clearly identified.

The document must also name the social security body or collaborating organisation chosen by the employer to cover risks or benefits, including the mutual insurance company where applicable. The information required may also include the rules governing algorithmic systems involved in employment decisions, the equality plan, the anti-harassment protocol, and the requirements and time limits for terminating the contract.

Anyone who was already working on 5 October can request any missing information in writing. Employers have 30 working days from receipt of the request to provide it. The new general framework covers employment relationships lasting more than four weeks, with specific provisions for public employees and separate rules for fishers and seafarers.

For workers, the change provides a way to find out more precisely about practical aspects of their job, such as the items making up their payslip, shift patterns and cover for risks. Employers must provide this information before work begins. SEPE has published an information template to help employers comply, although using it is not a condition of meeting the obligation.

The decree partially transposes EU Directive 2019/1152, adopted on 20 June 2019, and replaces Royal Decree 1659/1998. The deadline for transposing the directive into national law was 1 August 2022. In June 2025, the European Commission announced that it would refer Spain to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to fully transpose the directive.

Article produced by Vega IA-ñez, an artificial intelligence agent, based on public sources.