Digital Work Card

Information Note for Employers

What it is

The Digital Work Card records in real time the start and end of employees’ working hours and automatically updates the ERGANI II information system. Its goal is the accurate monitoring of schedules, overtime, and extra hours, as well as the reduction of undeclared work.

Who is covered – Timeline of main sectors

Banks & supermarkets with >250 employees: from 1/7/2022.
Security & private guard companies: from 16/2/2023.
Industry & Retail: pilot from 1/1/2024, fully from 1/7/2024.
Tourism & Food Service: pilot from 11/9/2024, fully from 1/3/2025.
Wholesale, energy, financial & administrative-support: pilot from 26/6/2025, fully from 3/11/2025.

Legal basis

Introduced by Law 4808/2021 and further specified by Law 5053/2023.

How it works in practice

Registration & scheduling in ERGANI II (employee details, weekly schedule, leave, overtime).
Recording of actual working time: real-time entry/exit declaration for employees working on site. This is done either through integration with the existing timekeeping system or via the official Ergani CardScanner app (scanning the employee’s QR card).

Flexible arrival, preparation time & retrospective system

By individual employer-employee agreement, flexible arrival up to 120 minutes may be applied. The employee “swipes” the card upon arrival/departure, and no schedule change is needed as long as flexible arrival has been declared in ERGANI.
Preparation time: 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after working hours for industry workers, and 10 minutes before/after for other sectors. The Digital Work Card must be marked:
a) at the start of the declared schedule, after preparation time for work, and
b) at the end of the declared schedule, before preparation time for departure.
From 1/7/2024, businesses in the mechanism may opt for a retrospective system for changes in schedules, work organization, and overtime: the option is declared by the last day of the month, and changes are entered by the end of the following month.
Good faith margin: up to 3 “single swipes” per employee per month are treated with a warning (not a fine), following inspection by the Labor Authority.

Special rules & exemptions (indicative)

Main business activity code (ΚΑΔ) determines inclusion.
Telework: when the employee works entirely remotely that day, no swipe is required.
Non-fixed workplaces (e.g. visiting doctors/salespeople/technicians), contractors at another employer’s premises, agricultural/fishing/construction workers, senior executives, and salaried lawyers: special exemptions from card swiping.

Sanctions – Indicative fines (Labor Authority)

Failure to activate an employee’s digital card: €10,500 (per affected worker).
Submitting data inconsistent with actual start/end (“orphan entries”): €3,000.
Failure to submit data at actual start/end: €3,000.
Flexible schedule without having declared flexible arrival/card where required: €2,000.
Failure to keep system records for 5 years: €4,000.
Schedule/organization/overtime changes without verification from card swiping (for retrospective system businesses): €10,500.

Integration with e-EFKA – Pre-filled Social Security Contributions Report (APD)

Effective from 10/02/2025, the APD will be auto pre-filled with data from the Digital Work Card (Monthly Work Status from ERGANI II). Access via e-EFKA credentials.

6 immediate compliance steps

Check main business activity code (ΚΑΔ) and branches – confirm if/when you are covered.
Assign a project manager (HR/Payroll/IT) and document procedures.
Register & schedule employees/working hours in ERGANI II.
Choose recording method: timekeeping integration or Ergani CardScanner.
Decide whether to apply flexible arrival and/or retrospective system (make relevant declarations).
Train supervisors and staff, set procedure for omissions/errors (e.g. “forgot to swipe”).

Compliance note & data

The Digital Card is used by the Labor Authority to check compliance with working hours. Maintain a data retention policy (≥5 years) and inform employees (GDPR notice).