When your job ends, you should receive a document known as a “work certificate” from your employer. This certificate should be handed over on your last workday. If, for some reason, they can’t give it to you then, they should mail it or deliver it to you within a week.
The work certificate is an essential record that details your employment journey: it shows when you worked, the role you performed, the reason you left the job, any vacation days you took, as well as any periods of unpaid or parental leave you might have taken, among other relevant details.
The work certificate must include information on:
- the number of days of leave that you used,
- the use of additional leave
- the period of unpaid leave
- the use of parental leaves
- the total number of days for which you got paid and for which you didn’t have the right to remuneration
- performing temporary work,
- the use of the exemption from work,
- right to compensation in connection with the shortening of the notice period
- the period of work in special conditions,
- non-contributory periods
- data that you request
Mistakes in the certificate
Now, let’s say there’s a mistake on your certificate. Maybe it has the wrong dates or misstates your position. In that case, you should reach out to your employer and ask them to correct it. They have two weeks to make the necessary changes. If they don’t fix it in that time, you have the option of going to labour court to get it corrected.
Work certificate on the contract of mandate
For those who were hired under contract of mandate, the rules are a bit different. The employer isn’t automatically required to provide a work certificate. However, you can still request a document that confirms you worked there. Do keep in mind, though, that this type of certificate won’t help you claim vacation benefits if you switch to a new job.
The certificate received from the Principal should contain information on:
- duration of the contract
- social security contributions
- remuneration
- % of income tax
This is particularly useful if you’re considering applying for unemployment benefits in the future.
Legal basis: Article 97 § 1 of the Labour Code.