Duration of change negotiations

Employers must announce change negotiations five days in advance in the case of redundancies, lay-offs, reductions of contracts to part-time work, or other unilateral changes to essential conditions of the employment contract.

The duration of the change negotiations depends on the subject of negotiation and the number of employees involved.

Change negotiations must last at least 7 days in the following cases:

• The negotiations concern the redundancy, lay-off, reduction of contracts to part-time work, or unilateral change to an essential condition of the employment contract of fewer than 10 employees.
• The negotiations concern lay-offs that last no longer than 90 days.
• The company regularly employees under 50 people.
• The employer is undergoing restructuring.

Change negotiations must last at least 3 weeks when there are at least 50 employees on a regular basis and the negotiations concern redundancy, over 90-day or permanent lay-off, temporary reduction of contracts to part-time work, or a unilateral change of the essential condition of the employment contract of at least 10 employees.