Employment
Expert & customised legal services covering all aspects of employment law
Top employment lawyers in Central & Eastern Europe
Your employees are your company’s greatest asset. Having the right structures in place to protect these key relationships can prevent problems before they arise and secure the long-term future of your business.
Updates and changes to employment law happen quickly. We assess what is most valuable to you, and you can count on us for straightforward advice rather than having to wade through pages of pros and cons. If you have an international business, or one with international ambitions, our 13 offices have the flexible approach you need.
We help you navigate the whole gamut of employment law. From day-to-day employment management to litigation, including employment contract litigation, from remuneration to restructuring, you can rely on
Key experts
“Excellent employment team with strong cross-border capabilities, well equipped to handle large-scale mandates across the CEE region. Often assists clients with mass litigation, transfer of employees, working time issues and dismissals of senior management. Further experience in internal investigations, closure of businesses and restructuring. Frequently mandated by clients from the retail and technology sectors.”
– Chambers Europe
Highlighting the firm’s cross-border reach, one client applauds: “They have excellent legal expertise due to their presence in Austria and CEE and their ability to provide advice of experienced legal advisers in each country.”
– Chambers Europe
What makes our team the best employment law firm for you?
Our regional, integrated firm offers distinct advantages, spanning the full spectrum of legal services.
- An established international law firm with 60+ years of experience in Austria and CEE/SEE
- A fully integrated, single team of 340 locally-qualified lawyers in 13 countries and offices
- Collaboration and innovation across multidisciplinary teams and offices
- Excellent client satisfaction – responsive, client-oriented, and consistent
- Experience with complex and cross-border matters covering the full spectrum of legal services
- Knowledge and expertise to add value to deals across industries
Leading the legal field
Our lawyers are involved in key transactions and matters across the region, bringing their industry expertise and specialised business knowledge to add value to our clients’ work.
Personnel restructuring advice for financial industry client
Restructuring & litigation for international IT company
Advised on cross-border employment matters
Advised on workforce and corporate restructuring during international company closing
Employment attorneys with experience from employment management to restructuring
Post-shut down corporate restructuring
Our team advised an international company on its complete workforce and corporate restructuring after the closing of its operations in a number of the CEE countries.
Our advice covered drafting termination documents, negotiations with the work staff, handover of the equipment by employees to the company and de-registration from authorities, as well as the liquidation procedure.
Extensive restructuring project
We advised a client in the financial industry on a large-scale restructuring project, including employee redundancy, relocation and TUPE situations.
Litigation on redundancies
We advised an international IT company on restructuring measures and represented the company in redundancy-related litigation cases.
Cross-border employment matters
Our team advised an international company in cross-border personnel matters in Austria and across the CEE countries. We advised on posting of employees from one country for training purposes to other countries, the appointment of employees as representatives, and temporary agency work.
What others say about us
“It is always a pleasure to collaborate due to their professionalism and the high level of debates we have on various employment topics. They are very knowledgeable of the legal employment matters specific to various industries, therefore they are able to adapt their services to the client’s business context and respond to their specific needs.”
– The Legal 500
“The team of Wolf Theiss is highly committed, reliable and they are absolute experts in their fields. Each member of the team has a good understanding of the economic practice and gives legal advice that can be well applied. We especially appreciate that they are able to provide advice at short notice, if requested.”
– The Legal 500
“Highly regarded employment practice that handles both contractual and litigious issues. Highly experienced in all employment-related matters including high-level dismissals, bonus schemes and reorganisation projects.”
“The service provided is excellent due to its vast knowledge, solution-oriented approach and professional handling of cases but also compassion.”
– Chambers Europe
Areas of specialisation
Contractual agreements & policies, agreements with executives
From employment contracts law to executive agreements, dismissal procedures to relocation agreements, our team works with you to customise the contracts most appropriate to the business relationship and most advantageous to you.
Whether you need advice on senior appointments (in-country and cross-border), on drafting and reviewing employee contracts to comply with local government requirements, or on evaluating contracts in restructuring situations, you can rely on our team’s expertise in contractual agreement law. We share your business goals and work to help you meet them efficiently.
Employment litigation & administrative proceedings
Fewer things are trickier than employment law litigation and conciliation. We have experience in this specialised area and know how to navigate the legal complexities, assess risks and communicate our advice to you in plain language.
As an expert employment litigation law firm, we constantly monitor newly implemented or upcoming changes to legislation throughout the CEE/SEE region so we can provide your business with the best strategic advice when drafting legal documents or preparing for negotiations with works councils and trade unions.
Pensions & benefits
Our lawyers can help you reorganise your pension and benefit structure while maintaining your corporate structure. We know the ins and outs of pension law in Europe, including stock option plans, pension fund agreements, and fringe benefits, and can help you create multi-jurisdictional stock option programmes for senior managers, appoint employees as board members in regional subsidiaries, and implement long-term incentive plans in CEE/SEE subsidiaries.
Our team with expertise in pension law also monitors pension law changes and can leverage the other areas of expertise at Wolf Theiss to help you meet your goals. Our tax experts, for example, can advise you on the tax aspects of employee stock ownership, deferred compensation plans and other tax optimisation strategies.
Restructurings & outsourcing
When you decide to implement changes that can result in outsourcing, off-shoring, restructuring, downsizing or merging, we will make sure that your business needs are protected during what can be a period of uncertainty for you and your business.
We understand the complexities involved and help you make strategic decisions that protect your interests in the long run. We will use our strong networks in 13 countries in CEE/SEE to best position you in your sector.
Implementation of organisational changes
The breadth of our reach across the region makes it easier for us to provide you with added value whenever you look to implement organisational changes. We are always thinking across borders, which means that we can help you implement part-time work models, remuneration structures and overtime models in several countries simultaneously. Our team is structured for efficiency: for us, collaboration between our experts in corporate, dispute resolution, regulatory and tax law is the rule, not the exception.
Day-to-day employment management
We are there for you, even for the less glamorous but no less important tasks of day-to-day employment matters. If you need advice – or even direct representation – in dealing with collective labour laws, working hours, or social security, we will assist you in managing your daily business.
We use the built-in cross-practice network of Wolf Theiss to combine our expertise and to provide advice on employment issues that apply to all industries and sectors. For example, we ensure that employment matters are fully compliant with data protection or privacy laws, as well as bank regulations.
We will keep you up-to-date on changes in the constantly shifting landscape of employment-related legislation on topics that are relevant specifically to your business.
Get in touch
Whether you need an international team with extensive experience, Wolf Theiss can support your business goals through our profound legal practice.
