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 us.
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 team of jurisdiction-specific qualified lawyers across our offices in 13 countries.
- 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.
Related experts
Related insights
Wolf Theiss advises QPS Holdings, LLC on the sale of its neuropharmacology business unit, QPS Neuropharmacology, to Scantox
Vienna, 06 December 2023 – Wolf Theiss advised leading drug development CRO (Contract Research Organization) QPS Holding...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Lottomatica Group S.p.A. on the acquisition of SKS365 Group of Entities
Belgrade, Vienna, Prague, 27 November 2023 – Wolf Theiss advised GBO SpA, subsidiary of Lottomatica Group S.p.A., an Ita...
Read moreEmployment Brief: Employment Agreements in Bosnia and Herzegovina; to amend or not to amend
Although amending an employment agreement may seem a pretty standard and common option, it is not a legal possibility in e...
Read moreImplementation of the Work-life Balance Directive: Important changes for employers and employees
The implementation of the Work-life Balance Directive into national law resulted in numerous changes to the law. Most of t...
Read moreEU Work-Life-Balance Directive in Austria: upcoming changes for parents and employers
In this episode of our Wolf Theiss Arbeitsrecht podcast, our experts Isabel Firneis and Julia Marboe discuss the implement...
Read moreOne Rock Capital Partners acquires Constantia Flexibles with legal assistance from Wolf Theiss
Vienna, 21 August 2023 – Wolf Theiss acts as Austrian and Polish counsel to private equity firm One Rock Capital Partner...
Read moreTrèves Group acquires automotive business Greiner Perfoam GmbH and Greiner Perfoam s.r.o. from NEVEON with legal counsel from Wolf Theiss
Vienna, 17 August 2023 – Trèves Group, a France-based manufacturer of automotive parts and equipment, is set to acquire...
Read moreConvera acquires parts of Western Union business with legal assistance from Wolf Theiss
Vienna, 21 July 2023 – Wolf Theiss advised Convera on the acquisition of parts of the Austrian business of Western Unio...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Bain Capital Special Situations on the acquisition of a 20 % stake in IMS Nanofabrication
Vienna, 6 July 2023 – Wolf Theiss is advising Bain Capital Special Situations (“Bain Capital”) on all Austri...
Read moreAstorg-owned Fastmarkets separates from Delinian with legal support from Wolf Theiss and Ropes & Gray
Sofia, 26 June 2023 – Wolf Theiss advised Astorg as local counsel to Ropes & Gray on the separation of the leading p...
Read moreLegislative Changes in Slovenia Related to Cross-Border Services and Employment of Foreign Nationals
*This article is also available in Slovenian. Act on Cross-Border Services On 22 March 2023, an amendment to the...
Read moreEmployment Brief: The first deadline from the Austrian Whistleblower Protection Act is fast approaching
By 24 August 2023, companies in Austria with 250 or more employees must have established internal reporting channels. Key ...
Read moreHospitality Software Solutions acquires SiTec GmbH with legal support from Wolf Theiss
Vienna, 11 May 2023 – Wolf Theiss advised Hospitality Software Solutions on its acquisition of SiTec GmbH. This transact...
Read moreWolf Theiss strengthens its regional presence and legal expertise by promoting five senior lawyers to Counsel positions
Bucharest / Prague / Vienna, 9. May 2023 – CEE / SEE law firm Wolf Theiss announced the internal promotions of five ...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Farner International on The Skills Group becoming part of European agency group “Team Farner”
Vienna, 27 February 2023 – Vienna-based communications agency The Skills Group, one of Austria’s leading PR agenci...
Read moreUkraine: new regulations allow the postponement of military service for employees in “critical companies”
In late January 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved two new regulations: (i) a new procedure for the “...
Read moreCzech Republic: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs has submitted a draft amendment to the Labour Code
The amendment introduces holiday leave for employees hired outside of a standard employment relationship, specifies rules ...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises ÖBAG on the extension of its partnership with América Móvil regarding Telekom Austria
Vienna, 7 February 2023 – Wolf Theiss advised the Austrian State Holding Company ÖBAG on the extension of its partnersh...
Read moreMüller Transporte brings investor on board with legal assistance from Wolf Theiss
Vienna, 28 November 2022 – Fritz Müller, owner and CEO of successful Austrian logistics and transport company Müller T...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Voxxy in obtaining an early-stage investment by Vitosha Venture Partners
Sofia, 30 March 2022 – Wolf Theiss advised Voxxy’s UK founders in obtaining an early-stage investment by a Bulgari...
Read moreCovid-19 vaccination and the workplace: Common questions among employers in Croatia
The Croatian government aims to increase the percentage of vaccinated persons (currently approx. 50%). Topics concerning v...
Read moreFollowing in the footsteps of Italy: Will the right to work in Romania be conditional upon holding a Covid-19 Green Pass?
A new draft law in Romania prevents access to the workplace absent a Covid-19 Green Certificate. The new measures are appl...
Read moreWolf Theiss closed a fifth transaction in the tech sector in 2021, the sale of AMC RO Studio to Keywords Studios plc
Bucharest, 12 August 2021 – Wolf Theiss has advised the founders of AMC RO Studio, a world-leading 3D art and design stu...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Novalpina Capital LLP in the largest transaction in the betting & gaming sector in Romania
Bucharest, 5 July 2021 – Wolf Theiss was the legal advisor of Novalpina Capital LLP, a London based independent European...
Read moreCzech Republic: The senate has approved the “Kuzrzarbeit” programme to provide more Covid relief to companies
The Czech Senate has approved a new partial-unemployment aid scheme intended to provide added relief and support to compan...
Read moreSlovenia amends the companies act: Implementation of shareholder rights directive II, amendment of corporate governance rules
On 9 February 2021, the long-awaited amendment to the Slovenian Companies Act was published. The majority of the changes c...
Read moreWolf Theiss advised IDERA, INC. on the acquisition of apilayer Data Products GmbH
Vienna, 26 January 2021 – Wolf Theiss has advised IDERA, INC., USA, on the acquisition of apilayer Data Products GmbH, V...
Read moreWolf Theiss Holmbergs Safety Systems Holding AB in the acquisition of the Romanian company Te-Rox Prod S.R.L.
Bucharest, 10 December 2020 – Wolf Theiss assisted Holmbergs Safety Systems Holding AB ("Holmbergs"), a Swedish company ...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises MSD on the acquisition of the Austrian biotech company Themis Bioscience
Vienna, 27 May 2020 – Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, counts on the expertise of Wolf Theiss i...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Cellnex Telecom S.A. on its acquisition of CK Hutchison’s Austrian telecommunications tower assets as part of a Europe-wide transaction
Vienna, 16 November 2020 – Wolf Theiss has advised Cellnex Telecom S.A., Europe’s leading operator of wireless telecom...
Read moreFranzösischer Arbeitsrechtsexperte Matthias Rubner nimmt Emmanuel Macrons Arbeitsrechtsreform unter die Lupe
Wien, 18.1.2018 – Beim heutigen Wolf Theiss Employment Breakfast hat Matthias Rubner, französischer Rechtsanwalt und Pa...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises companies on employee retention as Polish labor market tightens
Warsaw, 4 February 2019 – Polish employers are under increasing pressure to apply a wide range of solutions to retain to...
Read moreWolf Theiss supports Duravant, a portfolio company of Warburg Pincus, in the acquisition of Motion06
Vienna, June 6 2019 – Duravant, a global manufacturer of food processing machines, material handling equipment and packa...
Read moreWolf Theiss advised Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces on its acquisition of Technistone
Vienna/Prague, 28 August 2019 - Wolf Theiss acted as legal counsel to Wilsonart Engineered Surfaces on its acquisition of ...
Read moreWolf Theiss berät Kühne & Nagel Österreich bei Übernahme des steirischen Logistikers Jöbstl
Wien, 5. August 2019 – Logistik-Konzern Kühne + Nagel Österreich setzt bei der Akquisition des mittelständischen Logi...
Read moreWolf Theiss berät MRB FerCon beim Kauf der Eisengiesserei von GF Casting Solutions im Wege eines Management Buyout
Wien, 16. Oktober 2019 – Wolf Theiss hat MRB FerCon bei der Akquisition der Eisengiesserei Herzogenburg in allen Aspekte...
Read moreBulgaria – Electronic communication and electronic files now available option for employers
As of May 2018 the new Ordinance on the Rules and Requirements for Creation and Storage of Electronic Documents at the Emp...
Read moreAn obligatory charge for certain types of plastic bags effective as of 01 January 2018
Earlier this year, National Council of the Slovak Republic passed the Act No. 90/2017 Coll. (the "Amendment") amending and...
Read moreKündigung – Trennung im Guten oder im Bösen: Wie aus Gewitterwölkchen desaströse Unwetter entstehen und wie diese vermieden werden können
Beim gestrigen Wolf Theiss Employment Workshop haben Personalberater Othmar Hill und Wolf Theiss Partner Ralf Peschek wirt...
Read moreBulgaria: Recent employment law changes restrict M&A transactions for bad employers
Protection of employees which was given strong support by Bulgarian Parliament led to difficulties in closing M&A transact...
Read moreWolf Theiss advises Blackstone on the acquisition of EUR 1.64 billion CRH European Distribution Unit
Vienna, 18 July 2019 – Wolf Theiss advised the US multinational investment firm Blackstone on the acquisition of a €1....
Read moreRomânia: Nou caz de invalidare de către curtea constituţională a unei prevederi a codului muncii
Curtea Constituţională a declarat ca fiind neconstituţională prevederea din Codul Muncii care permitea angajatorului s...
Read moreJudgment of the constitutional court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina on unconstitutionality of the procedure of enactment of the labour law
Labour Law enacted by the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which entered into force on 20 August 20...
Read moreStay connected
Sign up to receive our latest updates and insights.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies or by clicking the corresponding button in our privacy policy. A withdrawal of consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. For further information please read our privacy policy.
Functional Always active
Preferences
Statistics
Marketing
Accessibility
Wolf Theiss - Leading Lawyers in CEE&SEE
Accessibility Statement
- www.wolftheiss.com
- 11 December 2023
Compliance status
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability. To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more. This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs. Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments. If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following emailScreen-reader and keyboard navigation
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:- Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all of the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
- Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside of it.Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Disability profiles supported in our website
- Epilepsy Safe Mode: this profile enables people with epilepsy to use the website safely by eliminating the risk of seizures that result from flashing or blinking animations and risky color combinations.
- Visually Impaired Mode: this mode adjusts the website for the convenience of users with visual impairments such as Degrading Eyesight, Tunnel Vision, Cataract, Glaucoma, and others.
- Cognitive Disability Mode: this mode provides different assistive options to help users with cognitive impairments such as Dyslexia, Autism, CVA, and others, to focus on the essential elements of the website more easily.
- ADHD Friendly Mode: this mode helps users with ADHD and Neurodevelopmental disorders to read, browse, and focus on the main website elements more easily while significantly reducing distractions.
- Blindness Mode: this mode configures the website to be compatible with screen-readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack. A screen-reader is software for blind users that is installed on a computer and smartphone, and websites must be compatible with it.
- Keyboard Navigation Profile (Motor-Impaired): this profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
Additional UI, design, and readability adjustments
- Font adjustments – users, can increase and decrease its size, change its family (type), adjust the spacing, alignment, line height, and more.
- Color adjustments – users can select various color contrast profiles such as light, dark, inverted, and monochrome. Additionally, users can swap color schemes of titles, texts, and backgrounds, with over 7 different coloring options.
- Animations – epileptic users can stop all running animations with the click of a button. Animations controlled by the interface include videos, GIFs, and CSS flashing transitions.
- Content highlighting – users can choose to emphasize important elements such as links and titles. They can also choose to highlight focused or hovered elements only.
- Audio muting – users with hearing devices may experience headaches or other issues due to automatic audio playing. This option lets users mute the entire website instantly.
- Cognitive disorders – we utilize a search engine that is linked to Wikipedia and Wiktionary, allowing people with cognitive disorders to decipher meanings of phrases, initials, slang, and others.
- Additional functions – we provide users the option to change cursor color and size, use a printing mode, enable a virtual keyboard, and many other functions.