Editing Openai/69276e73-d6d8-800b-9a8a-a665fea5b343 (section)

==== 🇪🇺 2. Do on-call duties—especially on public holidays—need to be written in the contract? ====

Usually yes, but it depends on the country.

Most EU member states require that:
* Working-time arrangements, including on-call obligations,
* Compensation rules, and
* Any deviations from normal working hours

must be clearly communicated, and often included in the employment contract or collective agreement.

===== Common national requirements: =====

| Country          | Must on-call duties be in the contract?                                                           | Notes                                                                              |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Germany          | Yes, on-call duties (“Bereitschaftsdienst” / “Rufbereitschaft”) must be contractually agreed.     | Public holiday on-call often requires premium pay; cannot be imposed unilaterally. |
| France           | Yes, “astreinte” arrangements must be defined in the contract or collective agreement.            | Specific compensation rules.                                                       |
| Netherlands      | Generally yes; must be agreed in writing or via collective agreement.                             | Public holiday work often requires extra pay.                                      |
| Spain            | Should be set out in the contract or CBA.                                                         | On-call work on holidays requires agreed compensation.                             |
| Nordic Countries | Typically yes; on-call obligations must be stipulated contractually or via collective bargaining. |                                                                                    |

Across Europe, employers normally ''cannot'' require you to be on call on public holidays unless the obligation is already included in:
* your employment contract,
* a collective bargaining agreement, or
* a written policy you have agreed to.