A new spectacular increase in declared overtime in tourism since the implementation of the Digital Work Card is recorded for May in the data of the ERGANI Information System, an increase of 1055% compared to May 2024.
This is the first time that tourism has become the sector with the most recorded over time, after Industry. By April 2025, Tourism, with an increase in overtime of 1105% compared to April 2024, was behind Industry, Retail, and Catering.
The barrage of high overtime records in the tourism sector has prompted criticism from the Panhellenic Federation of Hoteliers (POX) towards the Ministry of Labor and Social Security for the fact tha,t to date there has been no response to the Federation’s request for information regarding the exact method of calculating overtime in tourism.
As POX states in a relevant statement, “we await official confirmation that this calculation does not include either overtime, which until recently, although it was paid and insured, did not appear in the ERGANI system, or break time, which is not considered working time,” and concludes that these figures are essentially “meaningless findings” and constitute “declarations of impressiveness.”
The recent announcement by the Greek Tourism Organization, which refers to the levels of recorded overtime in tourism in April, states, among other things: “even if we accept that 45,000 hours of overtime were worked, it is worth examining this figure on a real basis. If we take into account that the number of hotel employees exceeds 220,000, even if we assume that only half of them work in April, then the 45,000 hours of overtime correspond to less than half an hour of overtime per employee for the entire month, i.e., less than 1 minute per day. These are, therefore, statements of impression and not of substance. In fact, if the above figures also include overtime and/or breaks, then we are talking about practically meaningless findings.
It should also be taken into account that the number of job vacancies in the sector is in the tens of thousands, which creates an objective need to strengthen overtime employment. We note that overtime is now more attractive to businesses, both due to the elimination of bureaucratic obstacles with the implementation of the Digital Labor Card, and due to the reduction of the relevant cost, due to the exemption from employer contributions”.
Finally, the Federation points out that instead of the public debate focusing “on the legal and controlled overtime employment of one of the most responsible and regulated sectors of the Greek economy, it would be more beneficial to deal with the problems that have been created for employees and businesses by the implementation of the Digital Labor Card, problems that we do not see being addressed in the context of the labor bill that was announced”.
At the same time, the Minister of Labor and Social Security, Niki Kerameus, emphasizes that “the steady increase in declared overtime that is recorded demonstrates in the most eloquent way the necessity and effectiveness of the measure” and that the Digital Labor Card is a valuable tool for the further improvement of working conditions, for the protection of employees and businesses. It records the actual working hours, ensuring the corresponding remuneration of employees while protecting healthy businesses from unfair competition”.
Overall, for May 2025, the ERGANI Information System records an increase in overtime in all sectors of application of the Digital Labor Card by 92%.
Particularly significant is the increase in the employment sectors that were included in the Digital Labor Card during the period 7/2024 – 3/2025. Compared to May 2024, May 2025 saw a 129% increase in reported overtime in the catering sector, a 92% increase in retail trade, and an 85% increase in the industry.
